Valdano admits Beckham move to Real Madrid is unlikely

REAL MADRID director of sport Jorge Valdano has attempted to halt the frenzy of speculation linking the club with a summer swoop for David Beckham.

Speculation linking the Manchester United and England midfielder with Real emanated from comments earlier this week, ironically made by Valdano, that signing Beckham could be "the next big project" for the European champions.

But Valdano, involved in the transfers of Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo to the Bernabeu, has moved to quell the rumour mill he started as his team prepare for their clash with United in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.