Published: Friday, October 24, 2008
Beckham could be traded to AC Milan
LOS ANGELES -- Despite denials from Major League Soccer, there is widespread belief in Europe that Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder David Beckham's proposed loan to AC Milan could turn into an outright trade.
On Friday, no less a figure than Sir Alex Ferguson, the coach of Beckham's first professional team, Manchester United, said it was "hardly a surprise" to see Beckham try to negotiate even a temporary move to the Italian club.
"Going to the United States does not get you the kind of football he is used to," Ferguson said. "It is not the right level of football. Therefore, coming back to the mainstream of the game is not a surprise."
On Wednesday, MLS Commissioner Don Garber insisted that Beckham "will be here for the start of the 2009 MLS season" in mid- to late March, a point that was underlined on Thursday by Ivan Gazidis, the deputy commissioner of MLS.
"We are in exploratory talks to look at whether the opportunity makes sense for the Galaxy and David," Gazidis told Reuters. "If it does -- and only if it does -- then things will go forward.
"I don't think the Galaxy have any interest in him missing regular-season games."
In Europe, Adriano Galliani, AC Milan's vice president, told Conto TV that he was "confident" an agreement could be reached.
"The deal is not done yet," Galliani said. "We have to define everything with his lawyers and the Galaxy. I am confident, but it is absolutely not closed.
"We will have time in the upcoming weeks to go over the deal in full agreement with the Galaxy. We don't want to undermine the California club."
Beckham's immediate plans include playing for the Galaxy in its season finale Sunday against FC Dallas in Carson, and then accompanying the team on its two-game tour of New Zealand and Australia in early December.
After that, he would be on vacation until joining AC Milan at the beginning of January if a loan comes about. The first match he could play for Milan would be on the road at AS Roma on Jan. 11.
Beckham joined the Galaxy after winning a Spanish league title with Real Madrid in 2007. Ramon Calderon, Real Madrid's president, said in London on Friday that the midfielder can still have an impact at the highest level. "He is a player who can give a lot to the club he signs for," Calderon said.
That view was shared by other influential figures, including Arrigo Sacchi, who coached Italy to the World Cup final at the Rose Bowl in 1994 and under whom AC Milan won consecutive European championships in 1989 and 1990.
"Beckham is a great professional and a great guy," Sacchi told Radio Radio in Italy earlier this week. "He's never any trouble, and if he's still the player that I knew a few years ago (at Real Madrid), he will bring something extra to the team.
"I think it will be mutually beneficial, for him and the team."
Carlos Ancelotti, AC Milan's current coach, already has identified how he would use Beckham if he comes to Serie A -- as an alternative to Italian international Andrea Pirlo.
"David can cover all the positions in midfield," Ancelotti told La Gazzetta dello Sport on Thursday. "He could also play in Pirlo's position."
At 33, Beckham would feel right at home among AC Milan's squad of veteran international players, which includes Paolo Maldini, 40; Filippo Inzaghi and Dida, both 35; Emerson, Alessandro Nesta, Clarence Seedorf and Andriy Shevchenko, all 32; Massimo Ambrosini and Gianluca Zambrota, both 31, and Gennaro Gattuso, 30.
Rival Inter Milan, which has won the last three Italian championships, has scoffed at AC Milan's habit of adding players on the wrong side of 30.
"Beckham to Milan? It's a Ronaldo type of deal," said Massimo Moratti, Inter Milan's president. "Milan have this philosophy which started when they bought Christian Vieri, it continued with Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and now Beckham.
"I suppose there is nothing wrong in signing these players as it could be fun for their supporters, but Inter have a different approach."
Danish international Martin Laursen, who played for AC Milan before joining Aston Villa in England's Premier League, told the Daily Mail that Milan would be a perfect fit for Beckham and his wife, Victoria.
"It's a place where there are a lot of big names. He's not going to be the only one. There are other celebrities. It's a city where you can walk around. And his wife will love it there too. The shopping is great," Laursen said.
On Friday, no less a figure than Sir Alex Ferguson, the coach of Beckham's first professional team, Manchester United, said it was "hardly a surprise" to see Beckham try to negotiate even a temporary move to the Italian club.
"Going to the United States does not get you the kind of football he is used to," Ferguson said. "It is not the right level of football. Therefore, coming back to the mainstream of the game is not a surprise."
On Wednesday, MLS Commissioner Don Garber insisted that Beckham "will be here for the start of the 2009 MLS season" in mid- to late March, a point that was underlined on Thursday by Ivan Gazidis, the deputy commissioner of MLS.
"We are in exploratory talks to look at whether the opportunity makes sense for the Galaxy and David," Gazidis told Reuters. "If it does -- and only if it does -- then things will go forward.
"I don't think the Galaxy have any interest in him missing regular-season games."
In Europe, Adriano Galliani, AC Milan's vice president, told Conto TV that he was "confident" an agreement could be reached.
"The deal is not done yet," Galliani said. "We have to define everything with his lawyers and the Galaxy. I am confident, but it is absolutely not closed.
"We will have time in the upcoming weeks to go over the deal in full agreement with the Galaxy. We don't want to undermine the California club."
Beckham's immediate plans include playing for the Galaxy in its season finale Sunday against FC Dallas in Carson, and then accompanying the team on its two-game tour of New Zealand and Australia in early December.
After that, he would be on vacation until joining AC Milan at the beginning of January if a loan comes about. The first match he could play for Milan would be on the road at AS Roma on Jan. 11.
Beckham joined the Galaxy after winning a Spanish league title with Real Madrid in 2007. Ramon Calderon, Real Madrid's president, said in London on Friday that the midfielder can still have an impact at the highest level. "He is a player who can give a lot to the club he signs for," Calderon said.
That view was shared by other influential figures, including Arrigo Sacchi, who coached Italy to the World Cup final at the Rose Bowl in 1994 and under whom AC Milan won consecutive European championships in 1989 and 1990.
"Beckham is a great professional and a great guy," Sacchi told Radio Radio in Italy earlier this week. "He's never any trouble, and if he's still the player that I knew a few years ago (at Real Madrid), he will bring something extra to the team.
"I think it will be mutually beneficial, for him and the team."
Carlos Ancelotti, AC Milan's current coach, already has identified how he would use Beckham if he comes to Serie A -- as an alternative to Italian international Andrea Pirlo.
"David can cover all the positions in midfield," Ancelotti told La Gazzetta dello Sport on Thursday. "He could also play in Pirlo's position."
At 33, Beckham would feel right at home among AC Milan's squad of veteran international players, which includes Paolo Maldini, 40; Filippo Inzaghi and Dida, both 35; Emerson, Alessandro Nesta, Clarence Seedorf and Andriy Shevchenko, all 32; Massimo Ambrosini and Gianluca Zambrota, both 31, and Gennaro Gattuso, 30.
Rival Inter Milan, which has won the last three Italian championships, has scoffed at AC Milan's habit of adding players on the wrong side of 30.
"Beckham to Milan? It's a Ronaldo type of deal," said Massimo Moratti, Inter Milan's president. "Milan have this philosophy which started when they bought Christian Vieri, it continued with Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and now Beckham.
"I suppose there is nothing wrong in signing these players as it could be fun for their supporters, but Inter have a different approach."
Danish international Martin Laursen, who played for AC Milan before joining Aston Villa in England's Premier League, told the Daily Mail that Milan would be a perfect fit for Beckham and his wife, Victoria.
"It's a place where there are a lot of big names. He's not going to be the only one. There are other celebrities. It's a city where you can walk around. And his wife will love it there too. The shopping is great," Laursen said.
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