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MLS Head Sets Beckham Deadline
While the negotiations between AC Milan and the Los Angeles Galaxy continue, Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber sets a deadline to come to a conclusion.
Feb 11, 2009 1:35:42 PM
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Don Garber has had enough, it seems.
The MLS commissioner has had enough of the uncertainty surrounding David Beckham's possible transfer from the Los Angeles Galaxy to AC Milan, and he wants the affair resolved by the end of the week.
"I sent a letter to [AEG president] Tim Leiweke saying by Friday we need a resolution," Garber said at a press event here on Wednesday afternoon. "And if we do not have a resolution by then, I’m going to have real difficulty approving a transfer."
The Galaxy rejected Milan's first offer, which came in at a reported $7.7 million (6m euros). The MLS club, which has not made the playoffs since Beckham joined in 2007, appear to want something in the range of $25 million (20m euros), and are unhappy with the meandering pace of negotiations so far. Last week, a spokesman for AEG, the company that owns the Galaxy, said they would like Milan to speed things up.
"This has been going on long enough," Garber said. "AC Milan needs to decide what they want to do, make an offer that respects the value David has to the league and the Galaxy. We can’t continue to be uncertain with what David’s future status is with the league and the Galaxy."
Whether the deal will ultimately get done on any kind of timeframe--Garber's, the Galaxy's, Milan's, or even Beckham's--remains to be seen. Many observers imagine the final figure will fall around $10 million.
But a handful of issues remain unaddressed, including: What becomes of some of the longterm aspects of Beckham's Galaxy contract? How will MLS and Galaxy sponsors react? How will fans in the United States react?
Garber, for one, did not view Beckham's desire to move back to Europe as a statement about MLS or about Beckham's character.
"This is not a betrayal," he said of the England international's desire to join Milan. "If David believes he wants to continue his career at Milan and Milan wants to purchase him, we’re interested in accommodating that. Right now it’s continuing to go around in circles and it needs to come to a conclusion. It’s distracting us. This league is starting in a little over a month and we need to get to our business for the 2009 season, from the television and fan perspective. This needs resolution."
Greg Lalas, Goal.com
The MLS commissioner has had enough of the uncertainty surrounding David Beckham's possible transfer from the Los Angeles Galaxy to AC Milan, and he wants the affair resolved by the end of the week.
"I sent a letter to [AEG president] Tim Leiweke saying by Friday we need a resolution," Garber said at a press event here on Wednesday afternoon. "And if we do not have a resolution by then, I’m going to have real difficulty approving a transfer."
The Galaxy rejected Milan's first offer, which came in at a reported $7.7 million (6m euros). The MLS club, which has not made the playoffs since Beckham joined in 2007, appear to want something in the range of $25 million (20m euros), and are unhappy with the meandering pace of negotiations so far. Last week, a spokesman for AEG, the company that owns the Galaxy, said they would like Milan to speed things up.
"This has been going on long enough," Garber said. "AC Milan needs to decide what they want to do, make an offer that respects the value David has to the league and the Galaxy. We can’t continue to be uncertain with what David’s future status is with the league and the Galaxy."
Whether the deal will ultimately get done on any kind of timeframe--Garber's, the Galaxy's, Milan's, or even Beckham's--remains to be seen. Many observers imagine the final figure will fall around $10 million.
But a handful of issues remain unaddressed, including: What becomes of some of the longterm aspects of Beckham's Galaxy contract? How will MLS and Galaxy sponsors react? How will fans in the United States react?
Garber, for one, did not view Beckham's desire to move back to Europe as a statement about MLS or about Beckham's character.
"This is not a betrayal," he said of the England international's desire to join Milan. "If David believes he wants to continue his career at Milan and Milan wants to purchase him, we’re interested in accommodating that. Right now it’s continuing to go around in circles and it needs to come to a conclusion. It’s distracting us. This league is starting in a little over a month and we need to get to our business for the 2009 season, from the television and fan perspective. This needs resolution."
Greg Lalas, Goal.com
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