David Beckham's Uncertain Future

Soccer superstar David Beckham may leave little to the imagination in his famously revealing ads for Emporio Armani underwear, but the fate of the soon-to-be-ex-Major League Soccer player seems to be still under wraps.

Beckham has taken a few pages from the Book of Brett Favre over the past few weeks, issuing contradictory statements (and, on occasion, non-statements) about what will come next for him and his fashionista wife Victoria (aka Posh Spice).

Since the Los Angeles Galaxy acquired the globally recognizable athlete in 2007 in an attempt to rustle up some semblance of attendance, Beckham's golden image has been tarnished by poorly timed injuries, the Galaxy's failure to make the playoffs despite his star power, and constant trips back to Europe for the World Cup. Not to mention the fact that he and his glamorous wife, the unofficial King and Queen of the British tabloid press, failed to make much of a mark on this side of the pond.

As recently as June 6, however, amid furious rumors and all but general acceptance of his impending departure at the expiration of his contract this year, Beckham told the press that he was committed to "being an ambassador for the MLS and soccer in America because I still believe in 10, 15 years this level will lift to a level where it can compete with some of the big teams in Europe."

Six days later it was officially announced that Beckham was not renewing his famously expensive contract (reportedly over ten times the amount paid to any but the top five or six players in the league) and intended to transfer to Europe. The twist was that he also revealed that a deal in Milan, a locale he has vocally demonstrated preference towards, had not yet been finalized.

The announcement triggered a good deal of clamoring among England's Premier League clubs. Beckham said he would finish the season with the Galaxy beginning July 16 after sacrificing about six million pounds in order to stay longer in Milan, although some sports commentators voiced concerns of a backlash upon his return.

Currently Beckham, whose final ad campaign for Emporio Armani debuted last week, remains mum on whether any progress has been made. Further befuddling pundits, former coach at AC Milan Carlo Ancelotti, whom Beckham strongly credits for his liaisons with the Italian team, has since left the team to coach at Chelsea, whose reputation in England rivals that of the Yankees or the Lakers in the U.S..

Although it is sometimes easy to forget in a world where Brett Favre can retire and come back not once but twice at 39, Beckham, at 34, has already far outlasted most other greats of the sport. Indeed his age was the topic of much murmuring during his injury-riddled first season in Los Angeles.

However, with the Spice Girls reunion finished forever and, as the news on Monday that he and Victoria are desperate for a daughter to join sons Romeo, Cruz and the ambiguously named Brooklyn, Beckham might just need to keep bringing in the dough as his famous abs start their retreat into age-induced retirement.