No sheikh up at Malaga amid Beckham rumours

THE owner of Malaga has poured cold water on suggestions David Beckham is plotting a takeover of the Costa del Sol club.

Rumours have been rife that the former England captain is planning to put forward an offer for the club, which could be thrown out of the Champions League if it fails to meet strict financial fair play rules.

But the club’s current owner Sheikh Abdullah Al-Thani took to Twitter to deny the rumours: “I wish the press would tell the truth and not fabricate rumours and myths that have no validity at all.”

The club is under pressure to provide an updated report on its finances by September 30 after an investigation by football’s governing body UEFA found it had a string of unpaid debts.

If the club fails to comply with UEFA’s fair play rules, it will be stripped of the €7.2 million prize money given to teams who qualify for the lucrative Champions League.

A statement on Malaga’s official website said: “Although a definitive agreement has not as yet been reached, the amount owed has been significantly reduced over the last month.

“Malaga has informed UEFA of this situation, and there is a transparent relationship between both organisations.”

All club games this season will have live commentary on Talk Radio Europe.