Football: England coach Gareth Southgate defrauded by a friend of David Beckham

Bad news for Gareth Southgate. According to the Daily Mail, the England team coach was defrauded by Teddy Byrne, close friend and former personal manager of David Beckham. As part of a property deal valued at £25 million (more than €28 million), Byrne is said to have invested the coach's money without his consent. Former internationals Joe Cole and Glenn Hoddle were also victims of the agent's affairs, who found himself in serious financial difficulty.

Teddy Byrne is said to have several companies under threat of compulsory liquidation due to significant debts linked to the purchase of new offices. Working with him since 2016, Southgate could cut ties after this stab in the back.

Cited by the Daily Mail, sources close to the agent defended themselves by citing an error of judgment rather than “deliberate deception” by Byrne. The latter confirming in a statement that he was doing everything to ensure that his customers were “fully refunded”.

Under a long-standing contract with the English Federation via one of its companies, 1966 Entertainment, for the management of the commercial and charitable activities of internationals, Byrne and his financial problems question the body which would seek to quickly reduce their relations. The former advisor to David Beckham, between 2003 and 2010, finds himself in the eye of the storm in England.