Former England captain David Beckham could be set for a sensational return to English football after Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp confirmed he would try to land the midfielder on a short-term loan.
Redknapp revealed on Friday he would ask club chairman Daniel Levy to persuade Los Angeles Galaxy to lend the 35-year-old to Tottenham until the start of the Major League Soccer season in March.
The Spurs boss denied that the move was designed simply to produce the commercial revenue that Beckham's signing could bring.
Redknapp said: "He wouldn't be coming here just to sell shirts. In the short term, he's not going to sell a load of shirts."
Redknapp, who has guided an attacking Spurs side to the knockout round of the Champions League and into a top-six position in the Premier League this season, also insisted Beckham had no financial motive to return to England.
"He isn't going to come here and get big money -- we aren't massive payers at this club," he said.
"He has probably got a fantastic house with a pool and he could sit out there every day and enjoy his life for a few months before he starts with LA Galaxy again.
{{/usCountry}}"He has probably got a fantastic house with a pool and he could sit out there every day and enjoy his life for a few months before he starts with LA Galaxy again.
{{/usCountry}}"But he wants to come over here to the freezing cold and play football.
"Doesn't that tell you something about the boy that he lives in Los Angeles and he might be a billionaire?
"I've heard stories about how much he earns, it is just incredible, mind-blowing.
"He could buy any football club in this country if he wanted to.
"He is not going to do it for the money is he? That tells you everything about him."
If the deal goes through, it would be the first time that London-born Beckham has played for an English club since he left Manchester United to join Real Madrid in 2003.
Beckham has spent the last two MLS close seasons on loan at AC Milan, partly in a bid to extend his England career, but injury ruled him out of last year's World Cup finals where England flopped.
With United, Beckham won the Premier League title six times and the 1999 Champions League title.
He won a Spanish league title with Real before joining LA Galaxy in 2007.