ENGLAND captain David Beckham has become the top paid footballer in the world, earning €22.4m last year, bi-weekly soccer magazine France Football reported last night.

CHELSEA manager Jose Mourinho wrote off his chances of pulling off another double when he conceded his side were unlikely to win both the Barclays Premiership and the Champions League this season.

Mark Gallagher

DAVID BECKHAM made a fairytale Primera Liga debut for Real Madrid with a second-minute goal as the champions beat Real Betis in their opening match of the season, and then admitted he is relishing life in the Spanish sun after a difficult end to his Manchester United career.

CLAUDIO RANIERI says he is no less worried about losing his job now that it looks like Sven-Goran Eriksson will be tied up on England business until the end of next summer.

THIERRY HENRY has been named Footballer of the Year for a record third time by the Football Writers’ Association.

DAMIEN DUFF is to sign a new deal with Blackburn Rovers before the week’s end.

MARIO MELCHIOT insists Chelsea can still overtake Manchester United in the title race as he believes Alex Ferguson’s side are not the force they once were.

MANCHESTER UNITED boss Alex Ferguson says Republic of Ireland midfielder Roy Keane is the greatest player of his time at the club.

MANCHESTER UNITED skipper Roy Keane has hailed want-away team-mate Nicky Butt as “one of the best midfielders in England”.

ARSENAL have been given a major boost after Sol Campbell pronounced himself fit for battle, but the Gunners are anxiously awaiting the results of Gilberto Silva’s medical for a back injury.

THE emergence of a new generation, as any discerning grandparent will confirm, is what keeps the previous ones going.

SOME would hail him as a modern-day Dr Faustus, the man who sold his soul to the Devil for 24 years of satanic indulgence.

LOUIS SAHA may have finally landed his dream move to Old Trafford, but the French striker admits he is not entirely at ease with the methods he used to engineer his exit.

WORLD CUP winner Youri Djorkaeff is to hold contract talks with Bolton chairman Phil Gartside in the New Year.

Damian Spellman

LEEDS striker Alan Smith has issued a defiant defence of boss Peter Reid, insisting he remains the man to lead the club out of their current crisis.