Former England captain David Beckham announced yesterday that he is exercising his option to become the owner of a Major League Soccer team in Miami.

“This is a dream,” he said at an appearance with MLS Commissioner Don Garber at the Florida city’s gleaming new bayfront art museum.

“This is an exciting time for myself and for my family and my friends and my partners,” Beckham added.

A final deal to grant the franchise to Beckham’s investment group could be several months away though, sources close to the negotiations said, with a stadium location and financing still requiring ap-proval from the MLS board for his team to become the 22nd club of the top US professional soccer league.

The mayor of Miami Dade, Carlos Gimenez, said negotiations for the stadium started last week.

Beckham, who also played for Los Angeles Galaxy, retired as a player last May and holds a $25 million option in his MLS contract to start a new franchise.

He is already in discussions with Miami-Dade county to possibly lease county-owned land for a 25,000-seat stadium.

“I have seen the atmosphere around the city,” Beckham said, referring to scenes he witnessed last year when the city’s basketball team, the Miami Heat, captured the NBA championship.

“I saw the passion of the people for sport,” he said, dressed in a smart sharp charcoal suit and tie.