Barca confident of bagging Becks despite Real threat

BARCELONA vice-president Sandro Rosell is “75% to 80% confident” David Beckham’s transfer to Barcelona will go ahead.

Rosell, new president Joan Laporta’s right-hand man and the chief negotiator in the successful bid to Man Utd for Beckham, remains confident the England captain can be tempted to the Nou Camp despite the player’s preference for arch-rivals Real Madrid.

Laporta stormed to victory in the club’s presidential election on the back of his pledge to sign Beckham and Rosell believes that can still be achieved, despite the player’s reluctance.

“We are very optimistic, 75% to 80% confident, because this does not depend solely on us, it depends on them (Beckham and his advisers). If it depended on us it would be 100%,” Rosell said.

Rosell also played down fears Real were about to hijack their deal with United after reports suggested Beckham’s advisors had spoken with the Madrid club.

“Real Madrid know the rules and they will never go first to the player,” he said.

“They know they have got to go to the club first and as long as we know they have not talked to the club, we are not concerned.

“We will go one step after the other and we will proceed with our job.”

Madrid spent yesterday playing down suggestions they met with United directors on Friday.

United chief executive Peter Kenyon has reportedly taken part in secret talks regarding Beckham with Real bosses in Sardinia.

Real director of sport Jorge Valdano admitted there had been a meeting between the two clubs but claimed that it had nothing to do with the England captain.

“They were directors of marketing from Madrid and directors of marketing from Manchester United and we have business interests in common. The question of David Beckham’s transfer is not something marketing directors will talk about,” said Valdano.

When asked whether Beckham would be a Real player in time for their tour of the Far East, Valdano said: “We will be in Asia as a club, but as for Beckham they are just rumours. Until the end of the season we don’t want to talk about Beckham.”