The Tribune

LONDON (AP) -- Resisting the lure of Paris for the sake of his family, David Beckham pledged his future to America's Major League Soccer on Wednesday by signing a new two-year contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy. The 36-year-old midfielder had been courted by leading clubs across Europe in the months before his initial five-year Galaxy deal ran out in December, with Paris Saint-Germain's wealthy Qatari owners offering the most lucrative deal. But Beckham turned down around $12 million-a-year with the glamorous French capital club for a less lucrative base salary at the Galaxy, which was previously paying him at least $6.5 million-a-year. For the former England captain, whose career at Manchester United and Real Madrid turned him into a celebrity who transcended sport, the deal wrapped up on Wednesday in Los Angeles could be the last of his playing career. "This was an important decision for me," Beckham said in a statement. "I had many offers from clubs from around the world, however, I'm still passionate about playing in America and winning trophies with the Galaxy." It took until November, though, to collect his first winners' medal in the United States, delivering the Galaxy's first MLS Cup since 2005. It followed Premier League, La Liga and Champions League triumphs during his career in Europe.