David Beckham has finally settled on his new footballing home as he confirms that he has signed to French football team Paris St. Germain. The sporting legend travelled to Paris on Thursday morning where he underwent a medical examination with the capital's iconic sporting club, before signing his new contract. On his way to his important meeting, the 37-year-old sports star posted a picture on Facebook of himself on board a private jet, accompanied by the caption: "On way to Paris, excited. I will update you all later".
After signing his new contract, David held a press conference to confirm his new move. Speaking to the strong crowd of reporters he said: "I haven’t spoken French since I was at school and I am definitely going to have to brush up on it. But I am very excited," he confessed. "It's something we have been talking about for a long time and I am very excited."
David also made clear that his family were staying in London. "Victoria and the kids will be living in London, the boys go to school there now. But this is a very exciting thing for the whole family." With the formalities taken care of, the father-of-four will begin training with the club in the next fortnight. The international star's move has ended rumours that he would transfer to Arsenal, David enjoyed a recreational training session at Arsenal earlier this week. David also confirmed that he would not be receiving a salary for the duration of his five-month contract, but instead the six-figure salary will be donated to a Parisian children's charity.
Speculation about his next move had been rife since the Beckham clan uprooted from Los Angeles, where they were based while David nursed his talent on LA Galaxy's sun-kissed turf for over five years. Now though, the time was deemed right to return to home shores and, with Victoria and their children –Brooklyn, 13 Romeo, ten, Cruz, seven, and 17-month-old Harper – based in London, David has been courted by some of Europe's most elite clubs. Paris St. Germain, however, are the only team to have managed to secure the David's services on the pitch. The transfer will doubtless bring the Beckham's move full circle, with both David's and Victoria's professional needs taken care of. In the past, Mr Beckham made no secret of the fact he would like to play in the Champions League again before retiring for good.
David, who rose to fame as a midfielder for Manchester United, said: "I still miss playing in it," adding: "they are the games you love playing in. Of course I'd want to play in it again." As a player with Paris St. Germain, that final ambition will be fulfilled. Meanwhile, Victoria will also be content; many put her family's relocation squarely down to David's next sporting move, however, it seems their return was heavily weighted by the Beckham matriarch's dedication to her London-based fashion label. The designer needed to be closer to her brand's headquarters in the capital's Battersea, according to a source who revealed all to Radar Online. "Victoria couldn't handle managing her lucrative fashion line from Los Angeles any more because it's based in London," they said. Apparently, being "often up in the middle of the night having conference calls with her staff across the Pond" became a bit too much. Just last year, the mum-of-four admitted that she was finding juggling her transatlantic responsibilities trying, with the time difference often leaving her exhausted.
Now, the only time difference she'll have to deal with as she keeps in touch with her husband on the continent, is a mere hour. Visits to couture capital Paris will be a pleasure for a woman who heads up one of the world's most successful fashion labels. While Victoria made no secret of the fact that she loved her old California lifestyle, the charm, romance and opportunities that regular visits to David will provide are the perfect compromise to her Hollywood ending – and their new beginning.
