David Beckham earns more than £1 million a month.

The former footballer – who hung up his boots from the beautiful game four years ago – is one of the world’s highest-earning retired athletes thanks to his image rights company, Footwork Productions Ltd, which reportedly scores him a staggering £35,000 a day.

According to The Sun newspaper, the 42-year-old star pocketed £12.7 million last year thanks to deals with the likes of H&M, Adidas and Haig Club whisky.

In the past five years, the former England football captain – who is estimated to be worth around £165 million – is said to have netted dividends of around £45 million.

David and wife Victoria – who have children Brooklyn, 18, Romeo, 15, Cruz, 12, and six-year-old Harper – recently splashed out £6 million on a countryside mansion in Oxfordshire, south west England, and they are now spending thousands to build a rural retreat in the grounds.

The showbiz power couple are forking out for a two-tiered outdoor space which will include an orchard containing 23 different types of trees.

David will also be able to try out a whole different ball game after he was granted planning permission for a 60ft croquet lawn, and the outdoor space will feature two vegetable patches and a natural swimming pool within a courtyard.

In May, the ex-Manchester United star was said to be planning to purchase an island for Victoria to mark their 20th anniversary.

David is said to have eyed up the 250-acre island of Bird Cay, in the South Berry Islands of Nassau, which could set him back as much as £7 million.

A source said at the time: “The Beckhams, particularly Posh, crave normality for their family times. Photos of Victoria in her bikini are incredibly rare because she is now very conscious about her body.

“So David wanted to give her that gift of privacy to mark two decades since they first started dating, a place where she can be totally relaxed.

“They love being on Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island, so for David this was the logical next step. The Caribbean Islands are incredible, so they really are spoilt for choice, but Bird Cay is looking like the one.”