Mark Hughes, the Blackburn Rovers manager, said yesterday that he will consider an audacious move for David Beckham in the event that the former England captain decides to leave Real Madrid.

Real are believed to have offered Beckham a two-year extension to his present deal, which expires in June, but with the midfield player stalling on signing a new contract as he waits to see if he can regain his place in the first team, speculation is rife that he could leave the Bernabéu on a free transfer in January.

Beckham, who was on the scoresheet in Real’s 5-1 Copa Del Rey victory over Ecija, the Spanish third division side, last night, is keen to stay in Spain and re-establish himself. In his first home start since the opening day of the season, he capped a lively performance with a left-foot drive through a crowded six-yard box after Ruud van Nistelrooy’s shot had been blocked.

But a return to the Barclays Premiership, where he won six league titles with Manchester United before his acrimonious departure in the summer of 2003, cannot be ruled out.

Glenn Roeder and Sam Allardyce, the respective Newcastle United and Bolton Wanderers managers, have hinted that they would be interested in signing Beckham if he became available, but the prospect of working with Hughes, a former United team-mate and one of his idols, may hold more appeal for the player if he decides to return to England.

With a transfer to United, or a move to one of the Premiership’s other big clubs — Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool — probably out of the question, Beckham would have to take a significant cut in his £100,000-a-week wages if he joined another Premiership club, but it could be a decision that he feels he has to make if things do not improve at Real.

LA Galaxy, the Major League Soccer club, have shown an interest in signing Beckham, but while a move to the United States would represent another lucrative payday, it would signal a step down and the 31-year-old believes that he is capable of competing at the highest level. Nor would a move to the US help his chances of winning a recall to the England team.

Hughes accepts that the odds would be stacked against Beckham joining Blackburn, but having surprised people by signing Craig Bellamy for £6 million from Newcastle last year, he has proved capable of pulling off significant coups, while his reputation precedes him.

“I think everybody would be interested in David Beckham,” Hughes said. “You have to cut your cloth accordingly and I am sure if he came on the open market — that there was an indication that Real Madrid were happy to let him go — there would be a few people in the queue for him.

“Everybody considers top-class players. We have thrown our hat into the ring for big-name players in the past — there were a few (clubs) in for Bellamy and we were able to get him — but whether we do so I will keep to myself. Possibly I have different priorities in different places. I have got to look at the strength of the squad as a whole, but obviously quality players like David coming on to the market would interest anybody, although it may be the right player at the wrong time.”

The former Wales international played briefly with Beckham while at United, towards the end of the 1994-95 season, before he left for Chelsea, but he is aware of the player’s ability. “He is an exceptional talent and has been for a long time,” Hughes said. “When you are doing your fantasy football team, he may well be on your mind. Whether you can physically get him through the door is another thing.”

DRAMATIC LIFESTYLE CHANGES

How would a move from Real Madrid to Blackburn Rovers change the life of David Beckham?

BILL EDGAR