Leicester City boss Sven Goran Eriksson has admitted disappointment being turned down by LA Galaxy midfielder David Beckham.

With Eriksson, Leicester's horizons will stretch further than fans ever dreamed - few people in football have a comparable contacts book, and nobody has fewer qualms about using it.

"I did ask David, yes, but he wouldn't come," he told the Mail on Sunday. "It is a pity, but I understand and it was worth making the enquiry and asking the question of him.

"To tell you the truth, I don't know that he will go out anywhere on loan now. I think his club in America want him to stay there and I think that's what will happen.

"He was my England captain, the man who spoke to the players, and there's was a lot to admire in the way he played and the way he conducted himself. And I liked him, too, very much. What's not to like about him? He is a very special person."