[Habitant]

CARSON, Calif. - David Beckham is coming back to the Los Angeles Galaxy.

The English midfielder will return to the MLS team next month as scheduled after his loan agreement with AC Milan ends.

Tim Leiweke, president of Galaxy parent AEG, said Friday the Italian club didn't make a second offer to the Galaxy to keep Beckham so the team will adhere to MLS commissioner Don Garber's Friday deadline to resolve the situation.

The Galaxy had already rejected Milan's first offer.

''We didn't receive an offer today,'' Leiweke told The Associated Press by phone from Colorado. ''We will abide by the commissioner's wishes, so we are clear at this point that we don't want to have any further conversations.''

Leiweke said he had not spoken directly to Beckham, but that he informed the player's representatives the loan would not be made permanent. Beckham's five-year Galaxy contract is owned by MLS, and he is due in the team's training camp on March 9.

''I know David is emotionally invested, but I don't think Milan really was that interested in spending the money we would have had to receive to compensate us for our losses,'' Leiweke said.

He confirmed that Beckham has a clause in his contract that would allow him to leave at the end of this year.

''Clearly the risk is we may lose him at the end of the year,'' Leiweke said. ''Our hope is the team surprises him and we're a lot better than last year.''

Beckham arrived amid much hoopla in July 2007, but the Galaxy finished with a 9-14-7 record that was third worst in the league. Los Angeles also missed the playoffs last season.

Leiweke said he had discussions with Milan officials earlier in the week, but heard nothing from them Friday.

Garber said this week he wanted Beckham's future resolved by Friday or he would not approve any transfer between the two teams.

''The negotiations are over and we move on,'' Leiweke said. ''We look forward to seeing David back in camp. We need to have a good season and we need to live up to a higher expectation.''

The Galaxy opens the MLS season on March 21.

[Tennie]

Gosh. I was sure it was all a big publicity stunt that'd be resolved in Milan's favor. Huh.

Well, perhaps now Milan will spend the 10-15 million people thought they'd spend on Beckham on a really good young centerback. We're going to need one; Nesta pulled up in training with pain in his lower back. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[Jack Sparrow]

Well considering all the rumours that have floated around about the figures Galaxy wanted, I think we did the right thing. We did what would be considered par for the European transfer market (Old player, soon to be available on a free). Unfortunately, Galaxy don't seem as bright as their name would suggest. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

The only thing to worry is if in November, suddenly other teams start competing with us for Beckham, after seeing how well he's done.

[elcordobez]

Yeh 6 months of Beckham is not worth 15million.

He'll be playing regularly @ la so he'll probably be included in the national team.

[kurtsimonw]

Mistake, in my opinion.

Even if I were a businessman, disregarding the football side of things, £15m would be a good buy. Yes he's getting on a bit now.. but £15m is nothing in comparison to the money the club will make for having Beckham. He's a money making machine, so unless we're going to spend £100m on him, then we can't lose on him.

[MizNelson]

Becks is playing well now, but for once Milan looked at the big picture and realized that ponying up a good amount of coin for another thirtysomething (soon to be 34) was probably not a smart idea. There was no guarantee he'd have fit into our long-term plans.

Nesta pulled up in training with pain in his lower back.

God...

[Tennie]

I find LA's part in this mystifying. Is it just me or are they damaging their reputation and that of the league by playing hardball in this way and badmouthing Milan in the process? It's surely not going to endear them to Beckham and I wonder if other potential designated players (ie, those outside the salary cap, usually players from Europe or South Amerca on the downside of their careers) are going to think twice about wanting to get involved.

That said, if they were demanding crazy money then...they shot themselves in the foot for that too.

[Warchant]

yea, this was a dumb move by LA. of course, i personally think they were bullied by the MLS to do all of this.

the MLS (and US Soccer) has a huge inferiority complex and doesn't want to have anything to do with looking like the little guy on the block. maybe you need those kind of people to build a nothing league into a contender. i don't know.

but i believe, in this case, the MLS wanted to keep Beckham for the face value. so people would keep watching MLS games. so he could still draw huge crowds to MLS games.

honestly, i don't believe any Euro team will pick him up in nov.. i believe he'll either resign with LA or move to a better MLS team that will actually win hardware.

he'll get called to the national team, England will stumble along as they usually do and beckham will lose his appeal. i believe he did well in milan because it's milan. players love the atmosphere. i don't think he'll have the same form, or be accepted the way he has here, anywhere else.

[pandan_wangi]

this is a bad news for becks...i just wish his perform won't drop in next milan games...

[I_Rossoneri]

I find LA's part in this mystifying. Is it just me or are they damaging their reputation and that of the league by playing hardball in this way and badmouthing Milan in the process? It's surely not going to endear them to Beckham and I wonder if other potential designated players (ie, those outside the salary cap, usually players from Europe or South Amerca on the downside of their careers) are going to think twice about wanting to get involved.

That said, if they were demanding crazy money then...they shot themselves in the foot for that too.

IMO you have hit the nail on the head (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

This week all I have heard from Galaxy/MLS are demands while we have remained silent. While we have kept our dignity they shown themselves to be the desperate amateurs that they are (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I still think Becks will come.

[Rossoneri7]

IMO, Galaxy have every right to have the final say on Becks, as they own his contract. Had he really been serious from the start, he wouldn't have gone to the States .. Had he really wanted to recover his international career he would have stayed on in Europe. But I guess McLaren never rated him and thus, considering his age he decided to go for the crazy money.

With Don Fabio on the England chair he got his chance and has produced the classiest of displays for Milan. It would be sad if it ended in March (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) I really want him to continue, he has brought a new dimension to the way the team plays.

Then again, Galaxy have every right (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

[I_Rossoneri]

IMO, Galaxy have every right to have the final say on Becks, as they own his contract. Had he really been serious from the start, he wouldn't have gone to the States .. Had he really wanted to recover his international career he would have stayed on in Europe. But I guess McLaren never rated him and thus, considering his age he decided to go for the crazy money.

With Don Fabio on the England chair he got his chance and has produced the classiest of displays for Milan. It would be sad if it ended in March (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) I really want him to continue, he has brought a new dimension to the way the team plays.

Then again, Galaxy have every right (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

I absolutely agree with you that Galaxy own his contract and I have not denied this. My grief is about how they have conducted themselves, while we have maintained a dignified silence all they have done is constantly give out demands. It seems to me that they were not serious about selling Becks and were just after a quick and inflated buck.

[Warchant]

AC Milan still hope to sign David Beckham from Los Angeles Galaxy permanently and view the deadline imposed for a deal by Major League Soccer as a "tactic", chief executive Adriano Galliani said on Saturday.

The England midfielder, on loan to Milan until March 9, has said he wants to stay at the Serie A club but the Friday deadline passed without agreement. Galaxy said they now expect him to return next month.

"In the meantime Beckham is here at Milan, we'll see what happens in a month or so," Galliani told Sky television. "It's a tactic," he added when asked about the deadline.

Italian media speculated that a deal could still be reached by the parties irrespective of the arbitrary deadline set down by MLS during the week.

Beckham is set to play in his first derby against Serie A leaders Inter Milan at the San Siro on Sunday and coach Carlo Ancelotti hopes it will not be his last.

"I cannot know if it will be Beckham's last derby," Ancelotti told a news conference on Saturday. "My hope is that he can play lots more with the same shirt. At the moment he's an indispensable player for Milan."

Beckham's spokesman said the player and his advisors will consider their position after the Inter game.

"David is focused on the Milan derby this Sunday. We will be addressing this early next week," Simon Oliveira told Reuters.

Beckham has the option of buying out his contract and has a clause which means he can leave Galaxy for nothing in October.

[dst]

We will sign Beckham permanently one way or another.

This post has been edited by dst: Feb 15 2009, 12:31 AM

[KillerMax]

We will sign Beckham permanently one way or another.

Why are you being all prophety all of a sudden?