DAVID BECKHAM - BECKHAM LINES UP $17 MILLION DIAMOND

Soccer superstar DAVID BECKHAM is poised to spend $17 million (GBP10 million) on a diamond necklace for his pop star wife VICTORIA.

The REAL MADRID ace wants to buy the necklace - which is built around the BLUE EMPRESS, a rare blue diamond - to match a $3.4 million (GBP2 million) diamond ring he bought the former SPICE GIRL earlier this month (NOV03).

But David faces competition from other buyers who want to take home the rare gem stone - recently modelled by YASMIN LE BON - from exclusive London department store HARRODS when bidding ends on 23 December (03).

An insider says, "The Beckhams love diamonds and this is one of the best in the world.

"David and Victoria are sure to have a good look at it before deciding if it's one to add to their collection of jewels."