Soccer: Alex Ferguson has offered David Beckham an olive branch by sending him a good-luck message before his move to LA Galaxy. The two men have not spoken since Beckham's acrimonious departure from Manchester United in 2003, but Ferguson said he hoped the former England captain made a success of his new life, describing him as a "terrific player".

Usually reluctant to talk about Beckham in public, Ferguson said he "wished him well", adding that was not surprised by the move. "I anticipated something like this," he said. "I expected he would go to America because I don't think there was any chance of him playing for another English club after he had played for us. He was always a United fan and he wouldn't have wanted to play for anyone else in England. His affinity to the club was too strong."

Ferguson said he was unaware of any English clubs trying to sign Beckham, but he said it was obvious that the 31-year-old would leave Real Madrid under Fabio Capello. "His position at Madrid has probably accelerated it because he's played only five games this season and he can't be happy with that. Every top player wants to play regularly. He was a terrific player at our club and everyone here hopes he does well." He added: "It's a big career change to go from Real Madrid to playing in America but there are simple reasons for it . . . the money is incredible."

Arsenal's manager, Arsene Wenger, an avowed admirer of the former England captain, believes there were more prosaic reasons for Beckham's decision not to return to the Premiership than any romantic attachment to United. Bolton Wanderers, Blackburn Rovers and Roy Keane's Sunderland were all linked with moves for the 31-year-old but Wenger believes any such move would have been too big a climbdown.

"I think he was at United and Real Madrid, and didn't want to go anywhere where he felt he would go down," said Wenger. "Certainly, 90 per cent of the decision he made was linked with the national team. If he had been playing for England he wouldn't have done it. I believe he considered either staying in Madrid or going to America for a completely different way of life. I don't think he considered coming back to the Premier League at all. He might have done one or two years ago, but not now.

"When a player is 31, 32, I accept that decision because it is linked with maybe being at the top of the top and you cannot be that any more if you go to a different club with maybe less ambition."

However, Wenger feels it would be a mistake to write off Beckham's potential contribution to football. The Arsenal manager believes that it is now incumbent on Major League Soccer to invest in a host of superstar players so that Beckham's arrival does not become a damaging anomaly.

"I do not believe he is dead as a football player," he said. "He has good stamina, he never had great pace, and players with that last a long time. I have seen that many times; at 31 you think the player is dead and then suddenly, whoosh, he takes off again and has a run of two or three years where he plays really well.

"Now the (US) have a base and it will be the right moment to create an elite again but just Beckham is not enough. They need to buy 10."

Guardian Service