Retired England star David Beckham has chosen Miami for a new U.S. Major League Soccer (MLS) team, a source familiar with the matter said on Tuesday (October 30).

Beckham was still putting together a team of investors, the source said, requesting anonymity.

The former England captain, who retired earlier this year after stints with several top clubs including PSG and L.A. Galaxy, had been considering several locations. He toured Miami this Summer, meeting city and county leaders and his representatives are already looking at sites for a purpose-built, soccer-only stadium, according to a well-placed source in the business community.

A team called Miami Fusion, albeit playing in neighbouring Fort Lauderdale, joined MLS in 1998, but was closed by the then struggling league after four seasons.

Beckham is friends with avid soccer fan Bolivian-born billionaire Marcelo Claure, chief executive officer of Brightstar Corporation, a Miami-based wireless services company.

When he was in Miami in June, Beckham visited two potential stadiums with British entrepreneur Simon Fuller, who handles his business affairs and declared Miami an "exciting" venue for a top-flight soccer team.

The MLS authorities confirmed they were in discussions with Beckham, but declined to say whether a deal had been struck.

Presented by Adam Justice