David Beckham's vast experience playing around the world would help Paris Saint-Germain's young players grow and improve if the former England captain joins the ambitious club, according to French-record signing Javier Pastore.
Beckham won the MLS Cup with the Los Angeles Galaxy on Sunday and his contract is coming to end. The former England captain has yet to decide whether he will return to play in Europe.
PSG sporting director Leonardo recently said he would welcome the chance to bring Beckham to France. PSG has wealthy Qatari backers and spent ?82 million ($116 million) this season - including ?42 million ($60 million) on the 22-year-old Pastore.
''He could help us young players a lot. It would be enriching to talk to him,'' Pastore said Wednesday's edition of sports daily L'Equipe. ''Beckham has an imposing presence. No one in our squad has a list of achievements and a background of his caliber.''
The 36-year-old Beckham has played in three World Cups, winning league titles with Manchester United and Real Madrid before moving to the MLS in 2007.
Pastore said Beckham's ''experience of winning'' and his ''many titles in different places'' would prove invaluable to a PSG team that has many players aged 24 or younger.
Big-spending PSG has become an attractive club, so much so that some of Pastore's Argentina teammates have asked him to put in a good word for them.
''A lot of players have already said to me, 'It would be nice if you could talk to Leonardo about me,''' he said. ''If big players come in the near future, then PSG will become a big club on the world stage.''
PSG is in first place in the French league ahead of Sunday's trip to bitter rival Marseille, but only leads second-place Montpellier on goal difference after losing 1-0 at home to Nancy in a dismal performance last weekend.
Pastore played so poorly that he was given a score of 2/10 by television pundits covering the match. He admits his form has dipped considerably of late, but is feeling tired after long trips to Venezuela and Argentina.
''Since the Lyon match (on Oct. 2), I've been back twice with the national team and those trips affected my physical condition a bit,'' Pastore said, adding that he felt the criticism was fair.
''When people are used to seeing you playing at a high level, it's only normal that they're disappointed. It was a difficult game and I never felt comfortable ... I couldn't beat my marker, my passes were poor, nothing went right.''
