Los Angeles Galaxy are confident their stunning capture of former England captain David Beckham will give the sport in America a huge shot in the arm.
Beckham confirmed yesterday he is to leave Real Madrid to join the Galaxy this summer in a move that will smash the record for football's most lucrative deal.
The 31-year-old is set to net £128million over the course of five years - a staggering £492,000 a week.
Such a move would not have been possible before last November, when the previous salary cap of £976,000 per team was made more flexible to allow for 'designated players' - or, in other words, highly-paid superstars.
The scale of the transfer is immense and Galaxy are not surprisingly excited about the imminent arrival of football's most famous player.
Galaxy president and general manager Alexi Lalas, the former US World Cup star, said: 'What I'm interested to see is how some of our younger players react to playing alongside David Beckham. It can be incredible incentive.'
As for Beckham's effect on the rest of the league, Lalas added: 'Other coaches and teams are all wanting to beat the team that has David Beckham.'
Galaxy coach Frank Yallop, the former Ipswich defender, was also thrilled.
He told Sky Sports News: 'It's wonderful news for us and we are really happy to have David joining us.
'He's a fantastic footballer. He has proved himself over the years, and it will be wonderful to have him - and to be able to manage and coach him will be a dream come true for me."
Yallop, 42, believes Beckham will be well suited to the style of play in the US - and gave an early indication of the role he is likely to play.
'He will fit in quite nicely,' he continued. 'I see him playing centrally in our league. We have to get him on the ball as much as we can, making us tick.'
One of Beckham's new team-mates, former Coventry forward Cobi Jones, believes he and wife Victoria can expect a very different lifestyle when they arrive on the west coast.
'I think it is going to be interesting for him. He is definitely going to have a different style of life over here,' he said.
'The attention that he is going to get from the media in the Hollywood area is going to be a bit interesting. Everyone will come out of the woodwork, not just to see the team but him.
'He is in the superstar and Hollywood set already - but since this announcement, I have been bombarded by messages from friends about him coming.'
And MLS commissioner Don Garber believes Beckham's arrival will have a huge impact.
He said: 'David Beckham is a global sports icon who will transcend the sport of soccer in America.
'David's enormous success as a player and team leader will serve as an inspiration to millions of soccer players and fans in this country and his global popularity will help take MLS and the sport of soccer in this country to an unprecedented level of excitement and popularity here and abroad.'
