David Beckham yesterday tried to end speculation of a Premiership return, insisting he intended to stay at Real Madrid next season. He also revealed his wife Victoria and their children Romeo and Brooklyn would be joining him in the Spanish capital next season.

"I have a long-term commitment to Real and to my life in Spain," ran Beckham's official statement. "I have been here for one season and it feels as if the job is not done yet. The support I have had from the fans has been amazing and I would like to see them repaid with success."

Significantly, following speculation that tabloid allegations about his private life would force him to return to his family in England, Beckham concluded: "Victoria shares my vision of our life here together."

The statement revealed the Beckhams had agreed a lease on a new house and that Victoria and the boys will make a permanent move to Madrid.

"The time is now right for the children to move to Madrid. We are all looking forward to it enormously," said Victoria Beckham.

Beckham's statement was not, though, accompanied by a similar declaration from Real and the feeling remains that, after a disappointing year, personally and collectively, Beckham's intention to repay Madrid's fans may not depend on him.

The "Beckham Year" has ended with Madrid trophy-less for the first time in four seasons and coming off four successive defeats. While the England captain was superb until Christmas, his form dipped with the rest of the team and there are ambiguous noises coming from the club.

The official line is Madrid want Beckham to stay, but Real's official lines are notoriously untrustworthy. This is the club whose president said Madrid would "never, never, never" buy Beckham in the first place; whose sporting director claimed that "Claude Makelele will not play football in any shirt other than Real Madrid's".

Moreover, apparently deliberate leaks have prompted reports in the Spanish press suggesting key members of Real's board would like to cash in on a player who has largely served his role in promoting the Real Madrid brand across the globe, whose shirts have been sold and whose image rights have not proven as lucrative as hoped.

His decision to sign just one new endorsement since joining has rather undermined Madrid owning 50 per cent of his image rights.

Meanwhile, sources close to Chelsea say they will push hard to sign Beckham, even though Roman Abramovich and his chief executive Peter Kenyon are determined not to be taken for a ride.

Privately, Madrid are believed to be hopeful of a huge offer from Chelsea that would effectively bankroll a summer signing spree which will, at long last, include players the club actually need. The Roma defender Walter Samuel's arrival was all but officially confirmed last night.

Chelsea's hopes of signing Fernando Morientes appear to be receding, with the striker showing more interest in an offer from Juventus, where Monaco coach Didier Deschamps is widely expected to move during the summer. The player is available from Real Madrid after a season on loan at Monaco.

Chelsea have made an approach for Morientes, who played a significant role in knocking them out of the Champions League semi-finals.

Morientes has said a deal with an unnamed club is "90 per cent done", adding: "I really like the idea of joining that club but by the time the contract is sealed and signed it might take a little while and I might have to go back to Real Madrid at the end of the season."