latest celebrity holiday gossip
Becks borrows Clooney's Lake Como mansion
England football star David Beckham and wife Victoria have been staying in a luxury £4 million Italian villa belonging to actor George Clooney, Hello! magazine reports this week.
The 33-year-old is currently on loan at Milan from parent club LA Galaxy and is involved in a battle as the Serie A giants attempt to secure his services on a permanent deal.
The transfer wrangle has been running for some time as the American club, with whom Beckham has a five-year contract, hold out for a fee in excess of £10 million to allow him to move to the San Siro.
It would appear that the protracted negotiations are taking their toll on the former Manchester United star, who was more than happy to head to the luxurious retreat on Lake Como following a generous offer from Clooney.
The pair first met at the Met Ball in New York last May after being introduced by fashion designer Giorgio Armani and have since become firm friends.
A source in Italy told the magazine: "George has really taken David under his wing since the transfer trouble started.
"At the house, David is able to get away from everything, relax and switch off in private. Their friendship has gone to the next level since David started using George's home."
Beckham has spent the past two months at Milan and has won plaudits for his performances, which also led to him equalling Bobby Moore's England record of 108 caps for an outfield player in a recent clash with Spain.
He is desperate to stay to boost his chances of being involved in next year's World Cup in South Africa but his loan spell runs out on March 9th and LA Galaxy have already rebuffed official bids from the Italian side.
However, wife Victoria is believed to favour staying in Los Angeles as the couple's three sons are happy there after a year at school and the fact that there is a two-year waiting list for the only international educational facility in Milan.
Lake Como has long been a favourite for holidays with celebrities and notable members of society, even going back to writers such as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, DH Lawrence and Ernest Hemingway.
Although it is not a renowned tourist hub - most Italians check in to hotels for a weekend at the most - it is undoubtedly the most breathtaking of the Italian lakes.
Naturally, anyone considering heading to Lake Como should secure holiday insurance, even if they plan to do no more than sit back and relax in a villa surrounded by snow-powdered mountains.
The 33-year-old is currently on loan at Milan from parent club LA Galaxy and is involved in a battle as the Serie A giants attempt to secure his services on a permanent deal.
The transfer wrangle has been running for some time as the American club, with whom Beckham has a five-year contract, hold out for a fee in excess of £10 million to allow him to move to the San Siro.
It would appear that the protracted negotiations are taking their toll on the former Manchester United star, who was more than happy to head to the luxurious retreat on Lake Como following a generous offer from Clooney.
The pair first met at the Met Ball in New York last May after being introduced by fashion designer Giorgio Armani and have since become firm friends.
A source in Italy told the magazine: "George has really taken David under his wing since the transfer trouble started.
"At the house, David is able to get away from everything, relax and switch off in private. Their friendship has gone to the next level since David started using George's home."
Beckham has spent the past two months at Milan and has won plaudits for his performances, which also led to him equalling Bobby Moore's England record of 108 caps for an outfield player in a recent clash with Spain.
He is desperate to stay to boost his chances of being involved in next year's World Cup in South Africa but his loan spell runs out on March 9th and LA Galaxy have already rebuffed official bids from the Italian side.
However, wife Victoria is believed to favour staying in Los Angeles as the couple's three sons are happy there after a year at school and the fact that there is a two-year waiting list for the only international educational facility in Milan.
Lake Como has long been a favourite for holidays with celebrities and notable members of society, even going back to writers such as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, DH Lawrence and Ernest Hemingway.
Although it is not a renowned tourist hub - most Italians check in to hotels for a weekend at the most - it is undoubtedly the most breathtaking of the Italian lakes.
Naturally, anyone considering heading to Lake Como should secure holiday insurance, even if they plan to do no more than sit back and relax in a villa surrounded by snow-powdered mountains.