Difficult for Beckham to stay - Stapleton

Former Manchester United striker Frank Stapleton believes it is now only a matter of time before David Beckham leaves Old Trafford – no matter how much the player may want to stay.

Transfer talk about the England captain is intensifying by the day with Spanish giants Barcelona apparently at the head of the queue, although arch-rivals Real Madrid and Champions League winners AC Milan are reportedly waiting in the wings.

And Stapleton is convinced Beckham will be heading out of the exit door sooner rather than later – despite the star midfielder’s previous protestations that he loves playing for United.

“I don’t think you should ever be surprised at what happens in football,” said Stapleton.

“I think they (the United board) have got to look at it, particularly as £30m (€42m) in the transfer market today is an awful lot of money and Sir Alex Ferguson is looking to rebuild in the summer to make a real impact next season.

“Once the club are speaking to their clubs it is very difficult for the player to come back and say he wants to stay.

“Once they start talking to other clubs the writing is on the wall. They wouldn’t do that if they weren’t open to offers.

“When the club are almost saying ‘yes, you can go’ you have to change your attitude.

“What may happen next season is that he (Beckham) may not play as regularly and there will always be that element in his mind that they never really wanted him to stay anyway.”

Stapleton was sceptical that Barcelona may be Beckham’s final destination, especially as the driving force behind the transfer Joan Laporta is not the leading candidate to become the Catalan club’s next president.

“Maybe Real Madrid will come in at the 11th hour,” Stapleton told Sky Sports News.

“If the president elect does not come in it may all collapse, which would pave the way for Madrid to come in with a lower figure maybe.”

Paris Saint-Germain’s Brazilian forward Ronaldinho and Middlesbrough’s England defender Gareth Southgate are two of United’s other reported transfer targets, although Stapleton believes only one is likely to come to fruition.

““Ronaldhino will give them a bit more of an edge going forward in Europe. They do need to have another option in forward areas and PSG are looking to cash in,” he said.

“I think Southgate would interest the club as a free transfer player but not at £4m (€5.6m).

“If United had to pay the money for him I don’t think that is really on.

“They have to bring in a defender as Laurent Blanc has gone and Wes Brown is a long-term injury and Ferguson does not want to find himself short.

“He will get someone in, I am sure, and it will probably be a younger player.”