2011 CONCACAF Champions League, David Beckham - Photo Credit: ISIPhotos

MLS News: David Beckham to Stay in LA

In news that will cheer many LA Galaxy fans, the team has confirmed that star midfielder David Beckham has turned down a chance to play for French club Paris-Saint Germain. According to reports, Beckham decided to stay in Los Angeles for “family reasons.” The former England captain had been approached by PSG as well as several other European clubs after his contract with the 2011 MLS Cup champions ran out in December.

“David Beckham is not coming,” PSG President Nasser al-Khelaifi told reporters on Tuesday, January 3. “We feel a little disappointed. But both sides agreed it would be better that we not do the deal … maybe in the future.”

According to PSG sporting director Leonardo, Beckham was “very interested in coming to Paris,” but ultimately decided that moving his family from California was not in their best interest. There had been rumors that the hiring by PSG of Carlo Ancelotti as the club’s new manager had been a roadblock, but Leonardo disputed that. “It was not the arrival of Carlo Ancelotti that changed everything,” he insisted.

According to a report in the New York Times, Beckham had been offered an 18-month contract that would have paid him $18 million to join the French club. In the end, lifestyle counted for more than dollars. With four children, three school age, Beckham and his wife Victoria clearly felt Southern California was a more appropriate setting than Paris. But money still has some say, as Beckham works to finalize a rolling one-year contract with LA Galaxy with an annual base of $6.5 million according to ESPN.

Moving forward, it will be interesting to see how this may or may not affect Beckham and LA Galaxy. At age 36, Beckham has begun to show the effects of age, including a number of injuries in recent months. However, he continues to be a dominant presence on and off the field, and has shown that his name can still command respect in the soccer world. He was a major player in England’s bid for the 2012 Olympics, to be held in London, and could be accommodated by the Galaxy if he should be chosen for his country’s team.

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