With Major League Soccer's Galaxy acting more and more like a minor league outfit by refusing any comment whatsoever, the vaunted David Beckham-to-Tottenham Hotspur story refuses to go away.

On Friday evening, Spurs Coach Harry Redknapp made it sound as if a deal was all but signed, sealed and delivered to have Beckham loaned to the London club for a couple of months at least.

"There is a good chance we will get David Beckham," Redknapp said. "It's just a case of sorting out the length of the loan and one or two other bits and pieces. Our secretary told me this morning it's going to happen."

But Beckham's former coach in the English Premier League, Manchester United's Alex Ferguson, told the Guardian that he finds the idea laughable.

"Obviously, anyone at 35 is looking at the twilight years of his career," Ferguson said. "I have players at United like Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville who grew up with David and are at the same level. They know they are coming towards the end of their careers and the horrible part of being a manager is seeing that. These players are eventually going to retire. David knows that better than anyone."

But Redknapp isn't buying it. The thought of adding Beckham to an already talent-laden roster has him drooling.

"He's not a punch-drunk heavyweight champion who's washed up and skint," Redknapp said. "This is a boy who's in the prime of life. I think he would give the other players a lift and he can definitely deliver a ball. It's no good having Peter Crouch if you can't get the ball to him in the air. Beckham has the ability to do that."

The Guardian reported that "advanced talks" were underway between Spurs and Beckham, and that Tottenham had already cleared room on its roster by loaning midfielder David Bentley, the backup to Aaron Lennon in Beckham's right midfield position, to Birmingham City until May.

Meanwhile, nothing but silence has come from the Galaxy's side of the table. But then, of course, what else is to be expected when it's the tail that's wagging the dog?

Beckham is pulling the strings and Galaxy Coach Bruce Arena and company are the puppets.

Sell him and be done with it. The circus has gone on too long.

--Grahame L. Jones

Photo: Galaxy star David Beckham takes in the Lakers-Pistons game on Tuesday at Staples Center. Credit: Jae C. Hong / Associated Press