Carlo Ancelotti has yet to comment on his future at Paris Saint-Germain. Laurent Cipriani / AP Photo
Carlo Ancelotti has yet to comment on his future at Paris Saint-Germain. Laurent Cipriani / AP Photo
Carlo Ancelotti has yet to comment on his future at Paris Saint-Germain. Laurent Cipriani / AP Photo
Carlo Ancelotti has yet to comment on his future at Paris Saint-Germain. Laurent Cipriani / AP Photo

Paris Saint-Germain want David Beckham to stay


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Nasser Al Khelaifi, the Paris Saint-Germain president, has said the French Ligue 1 football club want David Beckham to stay irrespective of whether the former England captain decides to retire or not.

Beckham, 38, has not made it clear what he wants to do after PSG won their first domestic title since 1994 on Sunday. They have reportedly offered a one-year contract extension to the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star.

"If he decided not to continue his playing career, I hope he'll stay in another role," Al Khelaifi told the sports daily L'Equipe.

"To have him among us, on the pitch or off it, is very important. It's up to him. We'll see what David wants to do. We'd like him to continue with us. He's a man of great quality," he added.

Al Khelaifi also said he rebuffed Real Madrid when the Spanish Primera Liga giants enquired about Carlo Ancelotti and is "very optimistic" their manager will still be in charge next season.

Ancelotti has yet to confirm whether he will stay amid speculation that he could replace Jose Mourinho, whose future at Madrid is equally unsettled.

"A few days ago, Real Madrid's technical director [Jose Angel Sanchez] contacted me to speak about him. Very quickly, I told them: 'If you're going to try and get Carlo, you should realise that he has one year left on his contract," Al Khelaifi told L'Equipe.

"So, please respect us, respect the contract. We respect all clubs and expect the same in return. We may not have the same dimension as Real Madrid, but that doesn't mean we don't deserve respect."

Mourinho has a tense relationship with some fans and players and is widely predicted to leave the club at the end of the season.

"We want to keep Carlo. Everyone loves him there, the players, the fans. I love him myself," Al Khelaifi said. "I've supported him since the day he arrived and I will support him until his last day with us. I'm very optimistic about this."

Ancelotti has evaded answering questions about his future in recent weeks, saying only that he would discuss his future with the club after securing the title.

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Ain Dubai in numbers

126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure

1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch

16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.

9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.

5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place

192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.

World record transfers

1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m

if you go

The flights

Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes. 

The hotels

Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes. 

When to visit

March-May and September-November

Visas

Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.