David Beckham reveals Man Utd agreed Barcelona bid before Real Madrid move

Updated: 08 May, 2025 • 0 • min read

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David Beckham reveals Man Utd agreed Barcelona bid before Real Madrid move

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David Beckham has revealed that Manchester United agreed to sell him to Barcelona in 2003, before a dramatic U-turn saw him land his dream transfer to Real Madrid.

The former England captain, who went on to become a key figure in Madrid's legendary Galácticos era, explained how close he was to joining United's Spanish rivals instead.

Speaking on CBS Sports, Beckham admitted he was blindsided by the news whilst on holiday, but stood firm on his desire to join only one club - Los Blancos.

My team was always Real Madrid. Funnily enough, I got sold from Manchester United to Barcelona.

I was on holiday and [then-United CEO] Peter Kenyon called me and he said, "We've accepted a bid from Barcelona and we're selling you."

I said, "If you are going to sell me, the only team I want to move to is Real Madrid", because I always had a dream of playing for Real Madrid when I was a young kid.

Transfer Twist: From Camp Nou to Santiago Bernabéu

Despite United accepting Barcelona's offer, Beckham made it clear he had no intention of playing for the Catalan giants.

His resolve paid off - within 48 hours, a deal with Madrid was completed.

I never thought I'd leave Manchester United but if I did, you know, I'd love to have played for Real Madrid. And if they wanted me to leave then the only club that I wanted to go to was Real Madrid.

Funnily enough, in a day and a half, it happened.

Beckham went on to win La Liga with Madrid in 2007, sharing the pitch with footballing icons such as Zinedine Zidane, Luís Figo, Ronaldo Nazário, and later, Michael Owen.

His four-year spell at the Bernabéu helped cement his global superstar status and further expanded Madrid's global reach, especially in English-speaking markets.

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