It is expected that Beckham, whose contract with Los Angeles Galaxy ended before Christmas, will not return to the Premier League in England.

The 37-year-old is viewing his next move as potentially his last as a player and those close to Beckham say he is attracted by the prospect of playing at a high level or in an environment where his presence would have a similar impact as when he first moved from Real Madrid to the Galaxy.

For those reasons, the chances of him joining a club involved in a relegation fight or one mired in mid-table appear remote, and would rule him out of joining QPR or West Ham, who have both been linked with the midfielder.

A report today said an offer of a two-year deal had been made by Qatari officials, but it is understood that has not been received by Beckham’s representatives.

There could be some Qatar involvement via Paris St Germain, however, as the French club are effectively owned by the Qatari government. They are also still in the Champions League, which would be attractive to Beckham.

Another options would be for Beckham to take a big-money move to China or Russia, as Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o and Nicolas Anelka have all done in recent months.