David Beckham trains with Arsenal but Wenger rules out transfer

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Wenger on Beckham and Villa speculation

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has ruled out signing David Beckham after allowing the former England captain to train with his team.

Beckham, 37, is without a club after leaving Los Angeles Galaxy at the end of the Major League Soccer season.

Wenger said the former Manchester United midfielder phoned to ask if he could train with Arsenal to keep fit.

"There's no speculation about signing or anything," Wenger said when asked if he might sign Beckham.

"He has not done anything for a long, long time. He has asked to come here and to work on his fitness."

Beckham has not played since the beginning of December when he helped LA Galaxy retain the MLS Cup with a 3-1 win over Houston Dynamo.

He was linked with moves to Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco, but insisted after the match that he had "no idea" where he would be playing next.

Beckham won 115 England caps, his final appearance coming against Belarus in a World Cup qualifier in October 2009.

Beckham signs off in LA with MLS Cup win

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287 comments

  • Comment posted by dandesqueran, at 13:20 29 Jan 2013

    I like Beckham. Too many people with sour grapes around here. He did some quite good stuff in his career. Probably still better than me even now.

    At the end of it all, we are grown men watching 22 other grown men run around after a bag of air....

    Why so passionate with the hatred? Everyone's gotta make a living.

    Can't we all get along?

  • Comment posted by TB, at 11:41 29 Jan 2013

    Am I allowed to just call Wenger to go and work on my fitness

  • Comment posted by U15453576, at 13:37 29 Jan 2013

    I still can't believe that Liverpool spent £35 million on Carroll, lol.

  • Comment posted by siwroe, at 15:58 29 Jan 2013

    @185 Scholes was better a better footballer by far. But he is ginger, and he now has to get the bus to work.

  • Comment posted by SammyG, at 16:03 29 Jan 2013

    If people are fed up of the "media circus" then why did they take the time to click on this link and write a post...?

    Highlights how modern British culture enjoys knocking people down rather than celebrating their achievements!!

    If we can't celebrate Becks being British then who?

    Exemplary athlete, nice guy and Great Briton!!

  • Comment posted by I actually like Sven, at 14:40 29 Jan 2013

    139
    Leg end not Legend!! Without doubt the most overated player of his so called "Golden Generation" he achieved very little"

    1 Champion's League, 6 Prems, 1 La Liga, 3 Western Conferences, 2 FA Cups, 1 Super Copa, 2 MLS cups. 4 Times PFA team of year, Real Madrid player of the year, First British footballer to play 100 Champions League games. Redknapp is a hero with 1 FA cup. Speaks volumes

  • Comment posted by valjester, at 11:47 29 Jan 2013

    Being dismissive of the constant media coverage of Beckham doesn't necessarily betray a lack of respect for his once-considerable footballing talent; it might just mean that people can't stand the deification of celebrities.

  • Comment posted by YJAY, at 12:15 29 Jan 2013

    USELESS AND UNIMPORTANT STORY. I CANT BELIEVE SOMEONE GETS PAID TO WRITE THIS NONSENSE

  • Comment posted by Stefan, at 12:00 29 Jan 2013

    The ability to make an article out of nothing is astounding.

  • Comment posted by cliveeta, at 16:35 29 Jan 2013

    Ah now, a post that can unite the (tired and jealous) Beckham haters with the Wenger baiters.
    I'm not going to bother reading all those tedious posts, I'm just here long enough to say that a great footballer should be welcome to train with any squad, must be good for some, especially the younger players.

  • Comment posted by U8625442, at 12:30 29 Jan 2013

    39.Tramp

    This is under the BBC Sport section for Arsenal and, this may come as a shock to you, but perhaps people want the BBC to write about relevant news.

    In the same press conference, Wenger ruled out a move for David Villa - who currently plays for Barcelona and Spain - yet this is deemed more newsworthy!

  • Comment posted by Nick_ffc, at 21:54 29 Jan 2013

    You can't be an average player and make the starting line-up of Manchester utd for over 5 years and captain England. He's a modest, down to earth guy who is a great role model for the game. He's never claimed to be in the category of Messi etc. Give the guy a break :)

  • Comment posted by U15595661, at 15:07 29 Jan 2013

    Unless you were forced to read it at gun point or were pressed onto the page involuntarily, please understand that you are part of the reason why it was written. If you don't like it, don't read read it. How simple is that?
    I suggest you take an introspective look at your own contributions to the sport, let alone your country and see if you even come close to Beckam's achievements.

  • Comment posted by NinjaNedGoop, at 15:00 29 Jan 2013

    @25. TB

    "Am I allowed to just call Wenger to go and work on my fitness"

    Do you have 115 caps for England? Years of experience and expertise to impart to youngsters?

    You don't. So no.

  • Comment posted by StaySceptic, at 12:43 29 Jan 2013

    He did the same with Spurs last year. Don't know why anyone is making such a fuss.

  • Comment posted by U15595440, at 12:34 29 Jan 2013

    Jazz hodgson is better than beckham

  • Comment posted by U15310840, at 22:14 29 Jan 2013

    A lot of people getting confused on here and can not seperate Beckham the man from Beckham the footballer.I would love to sit down with the bloke and discuss his career- I would ask him if he felt that he did himself justice/live up to fans expectations in the big tournements.His dedication and heart are not in question, but for me his legendary status is, and a good few caps were not won on merit

  • Comment posted by U10672703, at 22:02 29 Jan 2013

    Probably the best Right Midfielder I have seen. And I mean Midfielder, he wasn't a winger, but as a midfield man, top drawer. And England are rubbish anyway! Whoever you support at club level you blame your rivals players. Arsenal fans blame Spurs/Chelsea. United blame City/Liverpool. And vice versa! That's why England were never any good, and still arent very good.

  • Comment posted by oldhammer, at 17:56 29 Jan 2013

    With regard to the comments about David Beckham, and his England career, will we be making the same comments about Steven Gerard in the near future?

  • Comment posted by U1810386, at 17:30 29 Jan 2013

    220 - "Saying he is one of the best English players, over the last 20 years, is hardly any kudos is it?"

    Well, that's the context, isn't it? England have produced a few good players over the last 20 years. Unfortunately, too few to produce a good England team. None have been in the Messi, Iniesta, Maradona, Cruyff, etc. category. It still doesn't make Beckham, Gerrard, Scholes et al. bad players.

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