£770,000 a week? No, says Beckham

The claims, made in Spanish newspapers and repeated in Britain yesterday, centred on allegations that Beckham wanted a deal that would make him the third highest-paid sports star in the world, behind Tiger Woods and Michael Schumacher.

One report said the Real Madrid star had asked for £40m a year, including the bulk of profits from sales of his famous No 23 shirt.

However, the club denied it had even set a date for negotiations on the renewal of Beckham's contract, which runs until 2007. "It is not true that the player has asked for any type of contractual or financial improvement for the future, and a date for discussions between the club and the player has not been established," said the website statement.

"David Beckham has assured us that he is happy in Spain and at Real Madrid. The club values the excellent commitment and hard work of the player."