David Beckham eyeing $17.9M offer

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Paris Saint-Germain's offer to David Beckham might be too rich to turn down.

The French giant, its Qatari owners willing to spend whatever is required to bring in the Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder, has offered an 18-month package worth more than $17.9 million, according to English tabloid The Daily Mail, which says Beckham is on the verge of signing.

Beckham

Beckham, who travels Saturday with the Galaxy for their three-game postseason tour of Asia and Australia, will complete his contract with L.A. at the end of December, and he's mulling whether to stay with the Galaxy, head home to London -- Tottenham as the likely destination -- or head to Paris, where Paris Saint-Germain is seeking to join the elite ranks of global clubs through the riches of its ownership, which is affiliated with the Qatari government.

PSG president Nasser Al Khelaifi told The Daily Mail that Beckham's decision will come down "between Tottenham and PSG," and the newspaper reported that after "lengthy negotiations with Beckham's representatives," PSG thinks it has "won the race to sign him."

Beckham, whose annual average MLS compensation was $6.5 million, said all season that he and his family would discuss his future when the Galaxy's season was through. L.A., with Beckham making considerable contributions, won the MLS Cup championship last weekend to cap its finest season.

The Galaxy's best chance is that Beckham has said he and his family love living in Los Angeles, but the English star this week said he would maintain a home in Beverly Hills no matter where he plays.

PSG, which is in first place in France's Ligue 1, hopes Beckham can raise the club's profile, as he did with the Galaxy and MLS. It is understood there are commercial opportunities included in the deal, related to the Al Jazeera television network and perhaps the 2022 World Cup, which will be played in Qatar.

Al Khelaifi is general manager of sport at Al Jazeera, which also is owned by a Qatari government affiliate.

Scott French covers soccer for ESPNLA.com.

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