David Beckham has been linked to yet another club today, with big-spenders Paris Saint-Germain the latest to "refuse to rule out" a move for the 36-year-old.

PSG manager Leonardo knows Beckham well, having coached him at AC Milan during his two loan spells from LA Galaxy. It seems he would welcome Beckham along for his French revolution, but you get the feeling the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and England midfielder's footballing abilities wouldn't be the primary motivation.

"The door is open. He is more than a football player - he's a brand, a pop star. I would always consider him," Leonardo told BBC Sport.
"He respects the rules, listens to you and wants the best for the team. That's why for me he is a big example. I worked with him and that's why I talk about his name."

Leonardo didn't say it, but a move for Beckham at the end of the MLS season would have precious little to do with what he could do on the pitch. Beckham's true value now is that of a role model to the players around him. That and his enormous commercial appeal obviously.

Beckham the world-class footballer died when he left Real Madrid for LA Galaxy in 2007.

For all its good intentions, the MLS remains light years behind Europe's top leagues and Beckham's ambitions to invigorate the game in the US doubled up as a declaration that his footballing ship had sailed. This was a career cruise.

His ball-striking excellence remains, but the whirling dervish Beckham, who once marauded in midfield for Manchester United and played Greece on his own for England in 2001, has long since retired. His game was never built entirely on pace, but Beckham has slowed to nearly walking pace in recent seasons.

You could argue even Real Madrid didn't get the Beckham we made footballing royalty in England. It was in those youthful years at Manchester United he truly stamped his authority on the Premier League and made his presence felt in Europe and internationally.

Since joining Madrid in 2003 it's been a slow decline punctuated by occasional highs. He won a league title in Spain in 2006 and a conference with Galaxy in 2010. His England career reached 115 caps, and there was a standing ovation at Wembley in 2009.

Beckham still harbors ambitions of playing for a Great Britain team at the 2012 Olympics, and with England off to Euro 2012 he'll almost certainly get the call. No-one would begrudge his selection, but it would be one of sentimentality, not footballing sensibility.

For now, we await news of whether he'll carry on playing when the MLS season ends.

There's been talk of Tottenham, Queens Park Rangers and now PSG. If somebody does sign him, they'll get the model professional and, who knows, maybe even a few assists and a fizzing free-kick into the top corner.

I'd love to think they'd get more than that, but Beckham the footballer can be no more than a bit-part, peripheral figure on the biggest stage now.

source: Wild Tidey -Bleacherreport.com