David Beckham perfects the art of defence — to shield wealth from France’s taxman

David Beckham’s financial footwork in moving to France was hailed as equal to his football skills yesterday after experts suggested that the deal had been structured to avoid a big tax bill.

The former England captain’s move to Paris Saint-Germain saw him dribble past France’s tax regime last week while portraying himself as a philanthropist. When he signed for the Qatari-owned PSG, Beckham, 37, announced that he would donate his wages — understood to be €800,000 a month (£695,000) — to a childrens charity