Beckham parts company with agents

David Beckham has parted company with his commercial agents and pledged to concentrate on his playing career.

The England captain announced he had left the SFX sports group and would turn down new advertising deals.

Beckham wants to focus all his efforts on playing for Real Madrid and ensuring England has a successful campaign in the Euro 2004 championships in Portugal, his spokeswoman said.

A statement released by the Beckham camp last night said: “David Beckham has today confirmed he has parted company with the SFX sports group.

“His contract was due for renewal and he has decided with the European Championships and a busy year in Madrid he will be focusing entirely on football and not taking on any new commercial activity in the short term – except as part of his club commitments.

“He will continue to work with his current sponsors.”

The statement added that Beckham would continue to employ his friend and long-term football agent Tony Stephens, who would look after his football affairs.

The news appeared to shock SFX, which has successfully negotiated 10 commercial deals over the last year worth more than £10m (€14.2m) a year for the England captain – including Pepsi, adidas, Marks & Spencer and Vodafone.

SFX chairman and chief executive Jon Holmes said: “We are very surprised to learn of this statement given that David Beckham remains under contract to SFX for the next two years.

“We are aware and recognise that David wants to cut down on the level of his commercial commitments and we support that view and we are actively helping him to achieve this.

“His future commercial activities are subject to agreement with Real Madrid but we are delighted that David has confirmed that he wishes to remain a football client of SFX, which continues to employ Tony Stephens.”

However Beckham’s spokesman explained that the former Manchester United player’s deal with SFX had expired, and the company would only continue to earn from the current deals Beckham was contracted to.

She said she understood Mr Stephens was connected to SFX but had a separate contract with Beckham.

Beckham’s spokeswoman insisted parting company with SFX had nothing to do with former Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller, who announced in August he was going to go into partnership with Victoria Beckham and make the Beckham name a global brand.

It was announced at the time that the music guru’s role would involve “management and joint ventures revolving around the Beckham brand”.