The question on footballers lips these days might well be where is David Beckham headed to next. He has just been heavily encouraged by Tony Fernandes – new owner of the British football team QPR – to join their ranks. Today, Beckham is currently in the last year of his five-year contract, taking home a basic salary of $5.5m (with additional bonuses, etc. bringing the figure up to $6.5m). But it could be the case that Fernandes – a billionaire himself – may be able to top this. He feels that by Beckham signing up, his team will be given the opportunity to compete with the big-wigs.
<h2>Battle for Beckham?</h2>
Fernandes may have a bit of a battle on his hands though. If David Beckham ultimately decides to return to England, it may be Spurs he’ll be joining as this will up his chances of being in the running to lead a British team at the Olympics in 2012.
Tony Fernandes is definitely excited about the possibility of Beckham joining the ranks. He said, “it will be a massive statement of intent for us if we bring Beckham back in January. We have been led to believe he would like to be at a bigger club but it's for us to persuade him that we have bigger ambitions and he can be part of that.”
So apart from the football side, is there anything else Beckham can be offered? Indeed there is. Owner of the Lotus F1 team and Air Asia, Fernandes said he can also lure Beckham with “environment, love, care and attention. And Beckham's advisors want to talk because our vision is a long-term one, with lots of things David can do in Asia with me.”
