Glasgow could provide the next career destination for David Beckham after the Celtic manager, Gordon Strachan, refused for the second time yesterday to rule out a move for the out-of-favour Real Madrid midfielder.

A board member at the Bernabeu has been quoted as saying the club should release the former England international, whose contract expires next summer.

Meanwhile the Scottish champions are set to return the highest turnover figure in their history, thanks to the arrival of at least £16 million of Champions League money. Strachan will have funds to add to his squad both in January and next summer, but did not comment on the possibility of Beckham arriving.

"You can never say anybody is a no-go, either for coming to the club or leaving the club," he said.

Albert Luque, the Spanish striker Newcastle signed for £9 million last August, said in the wake of Thursday night's Uefa Cup victory over Celta Vigo that he is prepared to leave Newcastle in January if he does not feature regularly in Glenn Roeder's team over the coming month.

Luque had a rare 90 minutes against Vigo but did not impress. Afterwards he said: "It's been 18 months now since I came here and I need to be playing regular football. I've waited a year and a half but there's been no change in my situation.

"I will play for another month and there must be a change then. If there is no change then maybe it is better for Newcastle and better for me to go."

Tottenham are set to purchase the Sunderland goalkeeper Ben Alnwick in January. With Spurs' Hungarian reserve goalkeeper Marton Fulop joining Sunderland, initially on loan until then, a permanent transfer is expected, with around £1 million to follow Fulop to Wearside.

Guardian Service