David Beckham could be back in the Premiership as early as January after his director of football yesterday admitted for the first time that he is stalling on signing a new contract as he is concerned about his lack of first-team chances at Real Madrid.

Beckham has not started a home game for Real since the opening day of the season and has still not signed a proposed two-year extension to his current deal, which runs out next summer.

With the January transfer window just seven weeks from opening, the club's sporting director, Pedrag Mijatovic, said yesterday: "We want to renew his contract and we have had several meetings with his people. On our part there is no problem, but we have to listen to the player, too."