Soccer

Beckham, Henry find training work in London

Soccer: David Beckham and Thierry Henry have traded the United States for London and will spend the coming weeks training with…

David Beckham waves to the waiting media before he leaves the Tottenham Hotspur training ground in Chigwell Essex. (Photograph: John Stillwell/PA)
David Beckham waves to the waiting media before he leaves the Tottenham Hotspur training ground in Chigwell Essex. (Photograph: John Stillwell/PA)
Mon Jan 10 2011 - 00:00

Soccer:David Beckham and Thierry Henry have traded the United States for London and will spend the coming weeks training with respective clubs, Tottenham and Arsenal, during the Major League Soccer (MLS) off season.

Beckham's four-week training spell with Harry Redknapp’s outfit began today when he arrived at the club's training ground in Chigwell, Essex for a medical. The Los Angeles Galaxy star set about business but didn’t’ speak to any of the gathered media.

The 35-year-old met with the club's medical staff and underwent a fitness test as he looks to keep himself in shape during the (MLS) close season. The former England captain later emerged from the medical just before noon in a light blue Tottenham tracksuit with two advisers before leaving the training complex in a black Audi.

He will return to Chigwell at around 10am tomorrow to train for the first time with the Spurs first-team squad, who take on Beckham's former club Manchester United on Sunday. His time at the club is due to end on February 10th when he will return to Los Angeles.

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Spurs started negotiations with the MLS side last week over a two-month loan deal but the north London club announced that Beckham would only come to train with the club, rather than play.

It is thought that Spurs are unwilling to pay the percentage of Beckham's wages that Galaxy were demanding.

The Galaxy are also wary of their prize asset becoming injured during any loan spell, as Beckham did during his spell at AC Milan last year when he tore his Achilles.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is still keen to see Beckham play in a Spurs shirt though and negotiations about a loan deal are ongoing.

Beckham has not played for an English club since he turned out for Manchester United on the final day of the 2002-03 season.

Henry, meanwhile, has started a training spell with Arsenal today in order to keep fit. The French striker, who plays for the New York Red Bulls in MLS, remains a favourite with Gunners fans after scoring 226 goals in a highly successful spell with the club between 1999 and 2007.

The 33-year-old left Arsenal to join Barcelona in the summer of 2007 before signing for New York in July last year.

A statement on Arsenal’s official website read: “Thierry Henry is back at Arsenal.

“The Gunners legend returned to London Colney on Monday to train with Arsene Wenger’s squad. The short-term arrangement will help Henry maintain his fitness ahead of the new MLS campaign, which begins in March.

“Henry joined the New York Red Bulls last year and helped them reach the play-offs, where they lost on aggregate to San Jose Earthquakes in November.”