David Beckham loan move to Tottenham Hotspur looks a little less likely

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Despite attempts by David Beckham’s camp to keep the pot boiling, it appears as if Tottenham Hotspur’s interest in acquiring the Galaxy midfielder on a short-term loan is waning.

At least that’s the impression gained by listening to Spurs Coach Harry Redknapp.

‘If it is a very short-term thing it can be a problem,’ Redknapp told England’s Guardian newspaper on Tuesday. ‘If we are only talking eight or nine games by the time we get him ready, it is a difficult one. I can’t leave people out and then after a few games David goes back and I have to mess with the team again. But he would be great to have around. He’d be a great role model for the young players.’

The Galaxy has remained silent on whether it would even consider lending Beckham anywhere between now and the start of the 2011 Major League Soccer season March 15. Beckham was loaned to AC Milan in each of the previous two MLS off-seasons, with disastrous consequences in 2010 when he ruptured his left Achilles tendon and was sidelined for most of the year.

Bruce Arena, the Galaxy’s coach and general manager, has said he expects Beckham to report to preseason training at the end of January, but that comment was made before Beckham began pushing for another loan move in Europe.

If he joined Spurs, it would be for no more than 14 matches, including high-profile games against Beckham’s former English Premier League club, Manchester United, and against AC Milan in the last 16 of the European Champions League.

Keeping a move to Spurs in the spotlight is the releationship between Tim Leiwecke, AEG’s chief executive, and Daniel Levy, Tottenham’s chairman. AEG and Spurs are partners in a venture to jointly operate the Olympic Stadium in London after the 2012 Games.

Meanwhile, Redknapp is growing impatient at the lack of an answer from Los Angeles.

‘We can’t go on too long because it could end up being a waste of time,’ he said. ‘We need to know what is happening soon.’

-- Grahame L. Jones