David Beckham remains as busy as ever.
The former England captain has yet debut for his new club, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), but he’s already lining up a side job. Beckham is in talks with the Chinese Super League (CSL) to become its international ambassador for the 2013 season, according to Xinhua.
“Zhu Qilin, boss of the CSL company, said that it is almost certain that the 37-year-old star will be the CSL international ambassador, but some procedures still need to be done,” the report says.
Beckham left the L.A. Galaxy as a free agent in December, and Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua was reportedly one of the many clubs around the world that were wooing him.
In late December, a source close to Beckham told the Mirror that he was keen to “conquer the Far East” and “promote football in places where it isn’t particularly high-profile.”
But he eventually joined PSG on Jan. 31 after signing a five-month contract. He’s building up his fitness ahead of his Ligue 1 (French First division) debut, which is expected to happen Sunday against Olympique Marseille. It’s unknown if he plans to continue playing after PSG’s season ends in May.
The 2013 CSL season kicks off on March 8, and Zhu had hoped Beckham would be able to attend the opening ceremony, but that seems highly unlikely due to commitments with his new club. PSG plays the second leg of its UEFA Champions League Round-of-16 tie against Valencia on March 7, and Beckham could play a part in that contest.
“We planned to invite him, but as he will be busy preparing for the European Champions League at the time, so I don’t think he can come,” Zhu said.
The CSL lost a bit of luster when Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka left Shanghai Shenhua and returned to Europe in January, but Beckham’s arrival should ensure that the Chinese makes headlines around the world — even if only for a few days.
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