United deny Beckham Real deal

Manchester United tonight issued an emphatic denial to a report claiming that David Beckham will join Real Madrid in a £38m deal this summer.

The 27-year-old England captain has been linked with a move to the Spanish giants in recent weeks.

And a report in tomorrow’s Mail on Sunday claims a deal between the two clubs is virtually done.

But United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has stressed that he believes the stories linking Beckham to Real are timed to coincide with the Champions League quarter-final between the clubs and a Manchester United spokesman tonight insisted: “This story is categorically untrue.”

United’s Spanish goalkeeper Ricardo fuelled the speculation before the Champions League quarter-final first leg tie at the Bernabeu – which Real won 3-1 – when he claimed Beckham had asked him about the quality of Madrid schools.