Romeo Beckham, the son of the former England captain David Beckham, has joined Brentford’s B team on loan from Inter Miami for the remainder of the season.
The move, subject to international clearance, will see the 20-year-old midfielder help Neil MacFarlane’s reserve team as they challenge for the Premier League Cup and play matches abroad.
Beckham, who had a spell with Arsenal’s academy as a child, had already spent the last couple of months training with his new side to maintain fitness during the off-season in America. He announced the loan move in an Instagram post alongside his father, holding up a Brentford shirt at the club’s training ground.
“I’m very proud and very happy to be here,” he said. “It was a fun season [in the USA] and there were a lot of ups and downs but I’m excited to come here and see what I can do. I came here at the start to keep fit during the off-season. The chance then came to come on loan here and I’ve never been so excited.
“They [MacFarlane and assistant coach Sam Saunders] have helped me massively over the last couple of months and I’m excited to see what else they can help me with to really progress in football,” Beckham added. “Brentford [are] a club on the rise very quickly. I’m very grateful to be here.”
Beckham joined Fort Lauderdale CF in 2021 before the team, already a reserve side for MLS club Inter Miami, was renamed Inter Miami II last year. In July, he briefly featured in a first-time friendly against Barcelona for Inter Miami, who are co-owned by his father.
“We’ve been absolutely delighted with Romeo since he arrived with us,” said MacFarlane. “He came to us from Inter Miami with the aim of working with us during their close season. Romeo has applied himself unbelievably well, he’s really bought into the culture and the group which he has become a big part of.
“I love his standards and the way he conducts himself on and off the pitch. He’s been able to get fitter and fitter during his time with us and it leaves him in a good place to now step forward having joined us on loan.”
While Beckham is unlikely to be called into first-team action with Brentford this season, if the deal is extended he could add his name to a training-ground board of B-team hopefuls who have played for the senior side – including defender Chris Mepham, striker Marcus Forss and Aaron Pressley, the son of former Scotland defender Steven.
Roundup: Saints sign Orsic, Santos set for Blues
Southampton have announced the signing of the Croatia winger Mislav Orsic from Dinamo Zagreb. The 30-year-old has set his sights on firing the Saints to survival after agreeing a two-and-a-half-year contract for a reported £8m fee.
“It’s a dream for every football player to come to play in the Premier League,” Orsic told the Southampton website. “I’m here, I’m ready, I’m motivated and I hope that I will help the team to achieve their goals. We have only one plan – to stay in the Premier League. We need to work hard every day.”
The Southampton manager, Nathan Jones, hailed Orsic as a “significant addition” to the squad. “He’s a serious attacking threat and I’m sure anyone who has followed his progress or saw what he achieved at the World Cup will realise the talent he has.”
Chelsea have continued their January spending by agreeing a deal for the Vasco da Gama midfielder Andrey Santos. The Brazilian club confirmed Santos’ departure on Friday, and the 18-year-old is expected to complete his move to Stamford Bridge for an initial fee of £13m, potentially rising to £18m with add-ons.
