AC Milan confirm Beckham move

ROME – Italian giants AC Milan confirmed on Wednesday that former England captain David Beckham will join the club on loan during the January transfer window.

Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti and vice-president Adriano Galliani revealed the news at Milan’s Malpensa airport before the team set off to the Netherlands, where they will play Heerenveen in the Uefa Cup today. Beckham, who plays for LA Galaxy, will join the seven-time European champions during the off-season break in the MLS.”For me it will be a pleasure, Beckham is a serious athlete, a great professional,” said Ancelotti.Milan seem to have taken over from Real Madrid in opting for a policy of signing ‘galacticos’ in recent seasons, except that whereas the Spanish champions signed the likes of Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo and Beckham in their prime, Milan are picking up their global stars once past their best.In the last two years Milan have signed Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Andrei Shevchenko and now Beckham, but all four players seem to be long past their best.Ronaldo looked overweight and unfit during his brief and unsuccessful time in Milan, Shevchenko is a shadow of the player who left Milan for Chelsea just over two years ago and Ronaldinho is not the same player who was twice crowned world player of the year, although he is showing glimpses of his old self at times.Beckham is 33 now and was considered to be easing himself into retirement by heading over to the MLS in the United States a little over a year ago.But Galliani insists he is not just a marketing signing.Beckham cannot officially join Milan until the transfer window reopens on January 1.Milan currently sit sixth in Serie A but are only one victory behind cross city rivals, champions and league leaders Inter.The rossonero started the season badly, losing their first two scudetto encounters, but have since gone seven games unbeaten in all competitions.Nampa-AFPBeckham, who plays for LA Galaxy, will join the seven-time European champions during the off-season break in the MLS.”For me it will be a pleasure, Beckham is a serious athlete, a great professional,” said Ancelotti.Milan seem to have taken over from Real Madrid in opting for a policy of signing ‘galacticos’ in recent seasons, except that whereas the Spanish champions signed the likes of Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo and Beckham in their prime, Milan are picking up their global stars once past their best.In the last two years Milan have signed Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Andrei Shevchenko and now Beckham, but all four players seem to be long past their best.Ronaldo looked overweight and unfit during his brief and unsuccessful time in Milan, Shevchenko is a shadow of the player who left Milan for Chelsea just over two years ago and Ronaldinho is not the same player who was twice crowned world player of the year, although he is showing glimpses of his old self at times.Beckham is 33 now and was considered to be easing himself into retirement by heading over to the MLS in the United States a little over a year ago.But Galliani insists he is not just a marketing signing.Beckham cannot officially join Milan until the transfer window reopens on January 1.Milan currently sit sixth in Serie A but are only one victory behind cross city rivals, champions and league leaders Inter.The rossonero started the season badly, losing their first two scudetto encounters, but have since gone seven games unbeaten in all competitions.Nampa-AFP