Beckham set to begin talks with French side AS Monaco

PanARMENIAN.Net - David Beckham is set to begin talks with French side AS Monaco, with negotiations expected to take place after Saturday's MLS Cup final, BBC Sport reported.

The 37-year-old is understood to be open to a move, having announced his desire to leave Los Angeles Galaxy.

Monaco chief executive officer Tor-Kristian Karlsen said: "We are happy with our current squad. But if there's a chance to get a player of Beckham's stature, we'd be foolish not to explore it."

The former England captain, who has attracted interest from clubs in Russia and Brazil, plans to make a final decision on his future by the turn of the year.

Karlsen added: "Right now we're trying to learn if Beckham's future ambitions are in sync with ours. I understand he's high in demand but it's natural for a player with his experience and quality. Let's see what the next few weeks bring. It's a privilege to be linked with world-renowned players like Beckham."

Beckham is due to play for LA Galaxy against Houston Dynamo on Saturday, a rematch of last year's MLS Cup final. LA Galaxy won that game 1-0 to earn Beckham his first piece of silverware in the United States.

That was thought to be the last game of his six-year MLS career, only for him to sign a new two-year contract in January.

Monaco - under the guidance of former Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri - are top of the French second division after 15 matches of the season.

Beckham has attracted interest from other parts of France, too. Paris Saint-Germain offered him a multi-million pound contract to move to Paris last November but he opted not to accept the proposal for family reasons.