David Beckham's move to United States has come as no surprise to Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson. The former United star has signed an amazingly  lucrative five-year deal with Los Angeles Galaxy and will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season.

Old Trafford manager Ferguson said: "I anticipated that. It was to be expected he would go to America. Having played for us and deep down being a United fan he would not have come back to another English club.

"We wish him well - there are simple reasons I think! He was a terrific player for United. It is a big career change, playing for Real Madrid and going to America. His position at Madrid has probably accelerated the move.

"He has only played a few games this season and he cannot be happy with that. Every top player wants to play."

Beckham himself today admitted the $250 million he will get to move to the United States was a "huge" and "amazing" sum.

But the former England captain insisted he was not heading to LA Galaxy for the money, but to be "part of history".

"Of course it's a huge amount of money . . .  it's an amazing amount of money," Beckham told ABC News' Good Morning America. "I said yesterday and some people laughed at me, but this move for me is not about the money, it's about hopefully making a difference in the US with the soccer and that's what I'm going there for.

"I'm going for the life of course, for my kids to enjoy it and my wife to enjoy it, but the main thing for me is to improve the soccer and to improve the standard and to be part of history really."

The five-year deal will see Beckham earn more than $750,000 a week.