The hammers have agreed to terminate Freddie Ljungberg with immediate effect, this time last year he was heralded in a £3million move across London from Arsenal. However last season he managed just 25 appearances. The undisclosed terms of the deal have been announced as acceptable for both parties.

The 31 year old midfielder can now take time to reflect on where his footballing career will take him. There are rumours of possible moves to Olympiakos and Roma, but the Swede may elect to move to the MLS where his Calvin Klein modeling skills could help him join David Beckham on Bilboards across America.

David Beckham has yet to make his full debut for the LA Galaxy, he made a cameo appearance to announce his arrival in Los Angeles when Chelsea were in the States for their pre season tour.

Beckham has been receiving flack from sections of the Galaxy faithful for his inability to pull on the shirt and perform to a level that matches the hype that has spiralled since he signed the huge deal that took him to America in January. Instead of playing Beckham has been a PR machine for the league. Treading up and down red carpets on his sore ankle, and being paraded with other sporting stars of America. Actions that might be beneficial to the Sport and League in the bigger picture, but they are actions that anger the supporters who have only the interest of their club on their minds.

Hopefully having missed the last game in Toronto he may be able to play against DC United, but few fans will be holding their breath.

Okay it might just be another in a long line of rumours but now Freddy Adu – the 18 year old American wonderkid is being linked with a move to Celtic. Seemingly a meeting is lined up for next week in Denver when Celtic fly out for their game against the MLS All Stars.

Again a stumbling block is the idiotic way the MLS controls the player contracts rather than the individual clubs – hence the reason why Celtic have failed at times to sign Shalrie Joseph from New England Revolution. But they are likely to renew their interest later.

If Celtic put an offer in for Adu then they may face competition from clubs all across Europe, with Manchester United and Chelsea as the main threats – both clubs have watched the youngster several times over the past few years with Manchester United taking him on trial last year. However Celtic could give him the platform to sell himself to the richer clubs in Europe after a few years by gaining experience in the SPL and European Football with the Hoops.

The great Beckham debate has begun again, following his inclusion in Steve McClaren’s squad for the upcoming matches against Brazil and Estonia. All involved with brand Beckham will have been delighted at the increased elevation of his already massive profile.

Many pundits, fans and ex-pros have all had their say and their reaction is mixed. As many saying it was a bad idea as those saying it is good, their qualification to form their opinion is more debatable than the former captains inclusion in the squad.

Beckham has been an integral part of Real Madrid’s surge to the top of la Liga and they are just two wins from securing their first silverware in four years, thanks to their results against second placed Barcelona who have a much healthier goal difference. Indeed both his club manager and his team-mates feel that he deserved a place in the England squad.

So why the great debate? All McClaren has done is his job, even if it has reportedly upset his number two Terry Venables, pick players who will do the best job for England. Choose the players with the most skill and form, and harness those attributes and impart tactics on the players to ensure and English victory. Which is something he has not really done since he took charge of Sven’s England team after last years World Cup. McClaren cut Beckham loose after he stood down from his role as captain, but not for footballing reasons, but because he could not handle the brand Beckham roadshow. Although to be fair Beckham’s form was poor, but then so was the form of many of England’s other top talents, yet they remained part of the plan. Beckham could have helped develop some of the younger talent but he was tossed aside like last years kit.

For years players have been picked for England due to their name and reputation or for their commercial appeal. Some were picked and played out of position, others picked just to help them win appearance records, or because of their familiarity with their club team-mates. When really the player who has contributed most for their club in each position of the system that the England manager has selected should be the one who makes the team.

Maybe if McClaren and future England managers were to make the England team a meritocracy instead of a popularity contest among a club of old boys. It might better serve those who it matters to most… the England supporters!

Having left Middlesbrough the Portuguese midfielder has decided to join David Beckham on the right side of the pitch at the Home Depot Center.

Xavier could have stayed in England, there were reports of deals keeping him in the north east at either Sunderland or Newcastle. However with the stigma of being troublesome and involved with drugs he has elected to move abroad to start over.

The Galaxy have offered the former Liverpool and Everton player an 18 month deal.

The player most Liverpool fans call ‘God’ will be leaving the club he calls home at the end of this season for the second and probably final time as a player.

Fowler will be hoping to finish on a high, helping the Reds of Anfield over come AC Milan in the UEFA Champions League final on the 23rd May.

The former Leeds United and Manchester City striker will take stock over the close season and decide what he will do with his future. He could move to America and join David Beckham and former team mate Claudio Reyna in the MLS. Alternatively he could retire and manage the vast property empire that he was clever enough to acquire during his time as a player.

English football will mourn the passing of one of its less glamorous sons, as while the media glorifies the World Cup final goals of Peters and Hurst, there is little mention of the tireless running of Alan Ball that helped England to win the Jules Rimet trophy on home soil.

Hampshire police have reported that Alan Ball died of a heart attack as he tried to dampen the blaze of a bonfire in his garden.

Ball’s playing career began with Blackpool, and during the twenty-one years of playing he had nine different clubs, playing for the tangerines twice. He is best remembered for his spells at Everton, Arsenal and Southampton who he eventually went on to manage. Ball like many of the big names of his era found himself playing in the original Major League Soccer or as it was known then the North American Soccer League in the United States.

After trying to pit his wits in the managerial arena for a number of years, Ball found his niche working as a pundit for SkySports and was involved in the coverage of the first fixture that took place in the new Wembley.

The Former Czech Republic winger will be out of contract this summer and has no intention of retiring just yet. His Villa career has been bighted by a bust up with manager Martin O’Neill, when Berger was asked to prove himself in the reserves.

Berger could find a home in America like David Beckham and ply his trade in the MLS. He could be offered another deal at Villa, but would probably only be a squad player as Martin O’Neill looks to further strengthen his squad with Randy Lerner’s war chest. He already has stiff competition for a place with talented youngsters like Gabriel Agbonlahor and January signing Ashley Young.

Berger will take till the end of the season to consider what is best for him and his family before making a decision about where his career will take him in the future.

The David Beckham story has encountered another twist, just a week after his fantastic return to the Real Madrid first eleven, where his goal from a free kick helped his side to a much needed victory.

He was awarded a straight red card in the goalless stalemate with Betis. The tackle a frustrated almost petulant lunge, disguised as a sliding challenge where he lashed out and connected with thin air; could mean he is suspended for the next three games. Which would rule him out of the trip to the Camp Nou on the 11th March, a crucial game that could decide the Galactico’s season.

He may be lucky and get a reduced ban on appeal, but when will he learn? He is not the confused youngster that kicked Diego Simeone any more. Perhaps he wont have this problem when he finally makes his summer move to LA Galaxy.

Los Angeles bound David Beckham could be about to return from exile in to the Madrid squad for the fixture with Real Sociedad. Beckham was banished from the first team having agreed a deal with MLS side Los Angeles Galaxy, manager Capello said he would never play again. Questioning if Beckham could give his all when he had such a large contract with another club.

Beckham’s team mates nearly all spoke out about the situation, backing the former Manchester United winger. Capello appears to have reconsidered the situation, probably as there is pressure from all corners, the fans want to see him, the president Ramon Calderon needs to use his marketing ability while he is still at the Bernabeu.

The biggest factor in the Capello U-Turn has to be recent results, they have lost the last two games against Levante and Villareal causing them to fall behind in the title race behind Barcelona, Sevilla and Valencia.