Real urge Beckham to make mind up soon
MADRID: Real Madrid want former England captain David Beckham to make a quick decision on his future so they can plan for next season.
"A few months ago we presented an offer to extend his contract that reflected his importance as a football player and as a marketing image," Real sports director Predrag Mijatovic told radio station Cadena Ser yesterday.
"He asked for time to think about it, but we are in a situation where we don't have time. We have to decide now.
"Next week we will address the issue."
Real have offered the 31-year-old midfielder a two-year extension to his current deal, which ends in June.
Beckham's spokesman Simon Oliveira said last week that they expected to have made a decision by March.
As of January 1 Beckham has been free to talk to other clubs with teams in England, Italy and the United States reportedly interested in signing him.
Mijatovic also promised to get tough with the team's underperforming players.
He met with coach Fabio Capello and president Ramon Calderon at the club's training ground on Monday to discuss the side's recent poor run of form - Real have lost three of their last four matches.
"We are going to change a number of things in the club's internal disciplinary regime," Mijatovic told Spanish state television.
"We are going to ask more of the players in terms of commitment and professionalism. We need a professional team to be able to perform to the highest standards."
Real remain third in the standings but their performances in the 2-0 defeat to Deportivo Coruna on Sunday, and in the 3-0 reverse to Recreativo Huelva in the Bernabeu in December, have been limp.
Under president Calderon the club have spent close to 100 million euros on eight players since July, including three youngsters for the January transfer window, but many have not lived up to expectations.
Agencies
(China Daily 01/10/2007 page24)
