David Beckham and Gary Neville pull off astonishing transfer coup as Salford City land ex-Liverpool star on shock free transfer

 Salford City, co-owned by football icons Beckham and Neville, have completed a surprise move for ex-Premier League striker Borini. The Italian has joined the League Two side on a deal until January after training with the team over the past month. His arrival provides vital experience for Karl Robinson’s side, who are currently dealing with a long-term injury to striker Jay Bird.

Borini, who has represented Chelsea, Liverpool, and Sunderland during his career, returns to England more than six years after his last spell in the country. The 34-year-old forward left Serie B club Sampdoria in the summer and has since been keeping fit by joining training sessions with Salford’s first team. The deal, finalised this week, is seen as a major coup for the League Two outfit as they aim to push higher up the table this season.

“It’s been great, I came in to train to keep myself fit in this transition between contracts and Salford, the Gaffer, Alex Bruce, were kind enough to allow me to use the facilities and train here,” Borini said after the announcement. “Experience is one thing that I can bring, but it’s not just about the experience that I have on the pitch, it’s outside of the pitch so leading by example in training, outside training, how to manage a game. I’ve never played League Two football so I need to learn as well from my team mates the main characteristics of this league, but I will bring myself as an open book for my team mates to use me, learn from me or help me, so I’m very open to this challenge.”

He added: “It’s a challenge that I’m embracing and I chose to embrace because I needed the real football, something that warms my heart for football, not for anything else.” The Italian’s comments underline his passion for the game and his excitement at taking on a new test in the latter stages of his career. Borini’s leadership and top-flight pedigree could prove crucial as Salford look to strengthen both on and off the pitch.

Borini’s career has spanned more than a decade at the highest levels of European football. After coming through Bologna and Chelsea’s youth systems, Borini made his name with Roma before moving to Liverpool, where he scored in the Premier League and netted in the 2014 League Cup final. Spells with Sunderland, AC Milan, and Verona followed, alongside a brief adventure in Turkey with Karagumruk, reflecting a career filled with top-tier experience across multiple countries.

His signing not only boosts Salford’s forward options but also adds an experienced figure to the dressing room — something manager Robinson has openly valued since his appointment. Salford sit ninth in the League Two standings with six wins in their opening 12 matches.

Borini’s arrival at Salford continues a pattern of ambitious moves by Beckham and Neville’s ownership group, who remain determined to elevate the club beyond League Two. Since completing a fresh takeover earlier this year, the pair have reportedly committed significant financial backing to strengthen the team’s infrastructure and playing staff. Their goal is to establish Salford as a competitive force capable of challenging for promotion and eventually securing a stable position in the Championship.

Borini is expected to make his debut for Salford City later this month, pending match fitness with registration already cleared by the EFL and the FA. The club’s next fixtures could provide the perfect opportunity for him to ease into League Two football while mentoring younger players around him. For Beckham and Neville, this move signals their continued ambition to blend experience with youth in pursuit of steady, long-term progress at the Peninsula Stadium.

Salford’s management have already made clear that Borini’s short-term deal could be extended if he adapts well and makes a meaningful impact. Given his experience, the Italian could become an integral part of Robinson’s system as the club aims for a late playoff push.