England boss Fabio Capello fully approves of David Beckham's move to AC Milan, whom the England midfielder will join on loan on January 7.

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David Beckham feels that a move to AC Milan would help prolong his England career.

Speaking just before Beckham's move was confirmed, Capello said: "If Milan sign him they will make a great acquisition. He is a very focused lad. He is a professional."

Beckham's motivation for moving to Italy is he is determined to extend his England career, with Capello having warned he would miss the proposed friendly against Spain in February if he was inactive.

Capello recalled his own experiences of the former Manchester United's star's strength in adversity: "When I left him out of the team in Madrid because he had signed the contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy, he continued to come to the pitch to train and I put him back in the team."

Beckham, 33, must return to LA Galaxy by early March, to prepare for the MLS season, which is expected to start on March 19.

And, for the moment, all parties concerned are content with the terms of the deal.

Milan director Umberto Gandini told Sky Sports News: "Only David knows his future, but for sure he has a commitment to go back to the MLS and I think he will fulfil that."

Seriously, what's the big deal? We were told all along that David Beckham was going to be playing for a super club this year, it just happens to be on another continent. So, Alexi Lalas was a little off -- and you all laughed at him.

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David Beckham, right, could excel in Serie A and give MLS an image boost.

When the worst-kept secret in soccer was confirmed on Thursday, that David Beckham has inked a two-month loan deal with Italian club AC Milan, I can't help but wonder what all the fuss is about. The world's most recognizable player, in an effort to stay sharp and fit for his chances with the England squad, will suit up for a dozen or so games in San Siro and then head back to Planet Hollywood. With the amount of hand-wringing and hair pulling going on, you'd think Beckham was gone for good.

It isn't like he'll by lying out on the beach of St. Tropez getting a tan; he'll be playing for one of the most storied clubs in the world. He'll come back fit, sharp and hopefully healthy. There is precedent, after all: Eric Wynalda went on loan to Mexican club Leon following the 1999 MLS season. Simply put, Beckham wants to stay sharp and keep his strong chances with his national team alive.

England doesn't play again till a home fixture versus the Ukraine on April 1, but it is clear that Beckham wants to figure prominently into the plans for that game and beyond. Sitting comfortable in UEFA Group 6 with 12 points off of four matches, England looks primed for a fourth consecutive World Cup. Beckham, who will be 35 when the tournament kicks off in South Africa in 2010, didn't figure to be in the national team picture after the last World Cup. This exclusion would come despite the fact that he was arguably the best and most consistent player on the English team in 2006.

His move to MLS last year seemingly doomed Beckham's international career, but a sputtering performance by England in failing to qualify for Euro 2008 led new England boss Fabio Capello to look across the Atlantic at Beckham. It turns out that No. 23 is in form despite the woeful play of his Galaxy team. Now, Beckham has reclaimed his place in the England squad despite Los Angeles having missed the playoffs for a third straight season, a club record. It is a testament to just how elevated his play remains.

Now, more then ever, MLS needs David Beckham. When he first arrived, record crowds filled stadiums across the league; Year 2 of Beckham-mania showed strong attendance bounces, although not nearly as high as in 2007. If Beckham can continue to make a mark with England en route to his fourth career World Cup, then MLS and American soccer can and will benefit. Seeing Beckham at the sport's most highly watched event could only be a plus for a league still in search of an identity. It will also keep him a marquee draw and headline grabber.

The league wasn't counting on Beckham still having an international career or adding to his cap total when he made the trans-Atlantic trip last summer. Now, fans of the league and the Galaxy are worried about what Beckham's loan deal to Milan will mean to the team when it begins preparing for the 2009 season. That is a shortsighted way to look at things.

Having Major League Soccer's premier player at the World Cup lands instant credibility for a league that in 2010 will be celebrating its 15th anniversary. There is no better way -- I repeat -- no better way to embrace where it has been and where it is going then for MLS to have David Beckham in the World Cup. And we're sitting here worried about Beckham missing a few preseason games? With all due respect to the Carolina Challenge Cup or whatever plans Bruce Arena has for his Galaxy to get primed for the season, it all pales in comparison to the significance of Becks in South Africa. Think big picture here. Think marketing. Think sustained interest.

Plus, if Beckham goes to the Serie A and performs well, what does that say about MLS? Short of players from the CONCACAF region, just how many truly international stars are in MLS and still in their prime? Yes, there are a few, but even the top American players such as a Freddy Adu or Jozy Altidore continue to look overseas for options to play at the highest level. If our beloved (or sneered upon) Beckham can go over to Italy and perform crisp, clean soccer, it sends a worldwide message that no amount of victories in international club friendlies can accomplish.

Beckham's play in Serie A, if it is at a high level, can only enhance the reputation of MLS globally. It would help counter myths that say MLS is a retirement league, a place where footballers can go for one last paycheck. MLS was counting on raking in some serious cash when Beckham signed his five-year deal last year, but now the opportunity to capitalize on Beckham has become even bigger than they imagined. It extends from the jingle of the cash register to the playing field. We'll all be watching.

And maybe he can whisper a sweet nothing in the ears of Milan teammates Ronaldinho and Andrei Shevchenko while he's at it. Just tell them how lovely Columbus or Kansas City is this time of year. Come on Becks, it's worth a try.

There is a school of thought that suggests David Beckham's loan move to AC Milan is the beginning of the end of his MLS mission.

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Say hello, wave goodbye: Is Beckham's LA mission coming to an end?

The theory goes that the 33-year-old is ready to turn his back on the Los Angeles Galaxy, despondent at the lack of success after his injury blighted first season and the crushing failure of his second.

Despite protestations from all parties concerned, who have been at pains to stress that the marketing man's dream will return to the United States for pre-season training in March, there are those who believe the loan deal to the San Siro is merely the pre-cursor for a permanent move.

Unlikely? Never going to happen? That's what most people would have said three months before Beckham signed for the Galaxy in 2007. The lesson learnt then is not to underestimate Beckham's ability to surprise.

A permanent move is not beyond the realms of possibility, far from it. In fact by examining the considerations behind such a decision it is possible to make a fairly convincing argument for a permanent move to the Rossoneri being just as attractive, or even more so, than staying with the Galaxy.

Firstly, sporting. The main reason Beckham wanted the Milan loan was to keep fit and active in the MLS closed season in order to be considered for England selection. The simple fact of the matter is that playing in Serie A with players of the calibre boasted by Milan will mean that Beckham is a sharper, better player than he is when playing in the MLS.

And the choice of training with Kaka or Edson Buddle is, with all due respect, a no-brainer. Plus, the reduced travelling while on international duty would also make him a fresher player for both club and country.

Secondly, financial. One of the main reasons people believe Beckham went to the MLS was that extraordinary five-year contract worth up to £125 million. The big misunderstanding around that figure was that it was not a basic salary but also included endorsements. The £125 million figure was a marketing gimmick, something to grab headlines to promote the MLS and Beckham's arrival.

There is nothing to suggest that Beckham, and the wider brand he shares with his wife, can't match that level of income by living in Italy, a country just as fascinated with celebrity and just as willing to pay those in the public eye to endorse products.

Thirdly, familial. Perhaps the only thing counting against a move to Italy fulltime is that neither Beckham, his wife nor children speak the language. But this did not stop a move to Spain. Beckham is a family man, and living away from the UK and his nearest and dearest is one of the main downsides of life in LA. A private jet from Milan could get Beckham back to London in 1 hour 45 minutes. Considerably less arduous than the 10 hours it takes from LA.

All in all Milan does look an attractive proposition. But whether you believe Beckham is ready to turn his back on the MLS depends on why you think he joined the Galaxy in the first place?

Was it an evangelical mission to convert American heretics to the gospel of football, or a fantastic opportunity for brand Beckham to make a lot of money in an untapped market?

In truth it was both, but while fame and fortune can be pursued in Milan, the chance to make a name for himself were Pele failed, the chance to be the player who establishes soccer in the US cannot.

To dismiss this as a genuine goal would be to underestimate the determination of a player, who despite inviting and embracing the trappings of celebrity, remains one of the most dedicated footballers in the game.

In the twilight of his career two goals remain key for Beckham, to fulfil his mission in the US and reach the 2010 World Cup finals. Having proved that living and playing in the US is not a barrier to being selected for England, there is no reason to walk away.

AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani says that the chances of David Beckham remaining at the San Siro beyond the end of his loan from LA Galaxy are non-existent saying that any moves to make the deal more permanent are "not practical".

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Beckham: Tied into deals.

"David's arrival is a dream that becomes a reality," admitted a delighted Galliani. "We haven't written the contract but the agreement has been reached," said Galliani.

"Beckham will be at Milan on loan from January 7 until the start of the Major League Soccer, hence, for two months-and-a-half to three months."

Galliani added that Milan's hopes of keeping the 33-year-old at the San Siro on a permanent basis are non-existent.

"That possibility is not practical because he has a contract with the Galaxy," he said. "The club want him to remain in Los Angeles and he is happy there.

"Moreover, he has many advertising contracts."

Beckham could make his Serie A debut away to Rome on January 11 and could be playing alongside Ronaldinho, who joined the Rossoneri on a permanent transfer from Barcelona this summer and is looking forward to playing alongside Beckham, a player he faced while in the Primera Liga with Barca.

"I am happy that Beckham is arriving," said the Brazilian star. "I hope he will help us. He has so much quality."

The Los Angeles Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena has backed David Beckham's loan move to AC Milan as being beneficial to the Major League Soccer club.

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Beckham wants to impress Fabio Capello

Beckham, 33, will join Milan for two months in January in a bid to stay match fit and available for England selection during the MLS close season in the United States.

Arena said the Galaxy had insisted the England midfielder return from Italy to begin the 2009 league campaign in March.

And the former USA national team coach told reporters on Thursday he was happy to let Beckham go to the Serie A club, who have also agreed to enter into a ''technical relationship'' with the MLS outfit, the details of which have yet to be disclosed.

''I'm fine with everything,'' Arena said. ''I have a very good feel for the situation. We've been in, and we'll continue to be in contact with AC Milan and we have a technical relationship with them as well.

''We're all agreed in principle and everybody's happy. A short-term loan works,'' Arena added. ''I did this at DC United with Marco Etcheverry, with Jaime Moreno, with Ben Olsen - I don't have a problem with it. He's going to be back in March and we believe it's going to be around March 1 and he will be available for our opening game.

''I haven't seen the exact details of the loan agreement yet but we fully anticipate that this loan is for approximately two months although there is a possibility he could go in December.The most important aspect of this loan in our view is that he is back here early March.''

Arena said the length of Beckham's loan spell had been the only sticking point in negotiations between the two clubs as he bids to turn the Galaxy around after they missed out on the post-season MLS Cup play-offs for the second year in a row.

''We have a couple of objectives here. We are absolutely adamant about the fact that the club has not played well over the last couple of years,'' Arena continued.

''We think it's critical that we start 2009 the right way and that we place an improved team on the field because we have great fans and great support here.

''In order to do that we need David Beckham on the field and we need to have all of our key players here as we open our 2009 season if we're going to move forward and that was the critical aspect in this loan, there's no question about that.''

Arena also said he was pleased to have forged a technical partnership with the Italian club.

''I'm prepared to tell you how we're going to benefit from this but I think it's just a positive that we are working with a club of this stature.''

Arena added that the cancellation of the Galaxy's tour game in Australia against the Queensland Roar on December 11 in Brisbane had been as a precaution against Beckham being unavailable.

''We were hesitant to go ahead and commit without knowing whether David would be there or not,'' he explained. ''I imagine this allows David to have a little bit of a break before he heads over to Italy.''

AC Milan captain Paolo Maldini has defended David Beckham's motivations for wanting to join the Rossoneri in the winter transfer window.

The England midfielder is negotiating a short loan move to the Italian giants from the Los Angeles Galaxy during the MLS off-season.

Beckham claims his main reason for wanting to play a few months in Serie A next year is to maintain his fitness and not just to earn more England call-ups.

"Beckham is coming here to train, to remain in good form and to still be an important part of his national team," Maldini said.

"I feel they are all positive motivations.

"Milan has no reservations signing veteran players and has always taken into account the image and communication factors.

"As long as you have image and technical values together, all is well."

The 33-year-old Beckham would join a star-studded team, featuring Brazilian playmakers Kaka and Ronaldinho among others.

However, Maldini has warned that name alone does not guarantee success, as was evident at Beckham's former club, Real Madrid.

Madrid's policy of signing a 'galactico' at the start of each season backfired, with the club going three campaigns without winning the title from 2004 to 2006.

"The important thing (to remember) is that a team of 'galacticos' does not prevail," Maldini added.

"If we were to fail again this year it would be a disaster."

Milan, who failed to qualify for the Champions League after a disappointing fifth-place finish in Serie A last term, are hoping to compete for honours on the domestic front and in the UEFA Cup this campaign.

AC Milan strikers Andriy Shevchenko and Filippo Inzaghi have welcomed the news that David Beckham is poised to join the club.

The England midfielder is in talks with the Italian outfit over a short-term loan deal from the Los Angeles Galaxy during the MLS close season.

Shevchenko, who returned to Milan this summer after a disappointing spell with Chelsea, said: ''We would all be happy if he arrives and we would welcome him with open arms.

''He is a great professional and he would come to play at a high level, which is clearly a sign that he wants to be considered for the national team.''

Beckham, 33, has won 107 England caps and is determined to maintain his fitness in order to stay in the plans of national team coach Fabio Capello.

That will be good news for Milan, who are looking to strengthen their midfield as they bid to challenge for silverware in both Serie A and the UEFA Cup.

Former Italy international Inzaghi added: ''I would really like it if Beckham came to give us a hand to win. He will certainly get a big welcome.''

David Beckham will have only two months to make an impact at AC Milan after clinching a loan move to the Serie A giants on Thursday. The 33-year-old England midfielder will join Milan on January 7 and could make his debut four days later away to Roma.

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David Beckham's presence failed to inspire Galaxy to great things during the MLS this season.

But he must return to the Los Angeles Galaxy by early March, to prepare for the Major League Soccer season, which is expected to start on March 19. All parties concerned are content with the terms of the deal, which was struck in Milan a week earlier than anticipated.

Milan director Umberto Gandini told Sky Sports News: ''The deal will be as long as David wishes. I think his commitment to MLS and Los Angeles Galaxy will take him back after a couple of months. I think he will have to go back to Galaxy by the time the MLS starts, and training before that.''

Gandini also confirmed that the Italian club do not expect any opportunity to arise which would allow them to sign the 33-year-old permanently, saying: ''David is committed to the Los Angeles Galaxy and the MLS. He thanks them for the opportunity to let him train and work with us, we're very happy for that.

''Only David knows his future, but for sure he has a commitment to go back to the MLS and I think he will fulfil that.''

Beckham is seeking to maintain his match fitness to ensure he stays in the England squad as he closes in on a record number of caps for an outfield player. The former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder has 107 caps, one behind the late Bobby Moore who led England to their 1966 World Cup triumph.

The former England captain hopes to retain his place in coach Fabio Capello's squad and is believed to be targeting international retirement after the 2010 World Cup.

Capello has indicated he will only select players who are active with their clubs, and with LA Galaxy now in their off-season, Beckham risked being left out for upcoming games, including the proposed friendly against European champions Spain in February.

Beckham will join a star-crammed squad at Milan, with the likes of Kaka, Andriy Shevchenko and Ronaldinho soon to be team-mates.

''The players understand we are the premium brand,'' said Gandini. ''We are a fantastic club, one of the best clubs in the world. The fact they want to play with us is a great achievement.

''David Beckham will come to our club where he will have a lot of people and a lot of players that have his ability and status so I think it will be very beneficial for him and the English game.''

Beckham is by no means certain to feature regularly for Milan, with nothing in his contract stipulating he will play in a specific number of games. Gandini confirmed: ''He will train with the other Milan players and the selection will be up to the coaches.''

Capello expects David Beckham will prove to be a ''great acquisition'' for Milan, the England coach's former club. Capello has worked with Beckham at Real Madrid and England and has been impressed by his work-rate.

Speaking before the deal was completed, Capello told Milan's World Business Forum: ''If Milan sign him they will make a great acquisition. He is a very focused lad. He is a professional. When I left him out of the team in Madrid because he had signed the contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy, he continued to come to the pitch to train and I put him back in the team.''

''He is a very serious lad, very sensible, a professional. People think he is a playboy off the field, it's not true at all,'' added Capello

Talks over Beckham's future were originally scheduled for next week, but the player's representatives and Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani met on Thursday afternoon to thrash out the transfer.

The former England captain was a Milan target in January 2007, but opted instead to move to Los Angeles from Real Madrid.

In a joint statement Milan and LA Galaxy confirmed Beckham would return to the States for training before the MLS begins, which suggests he will spend just two months back in Europe.

Writing on his website's blog Beckham this week admitted he was looking forward to joining Milan.

He explained: ''One of the reasons I want to train and play in Milan for a few months is the fact that the MLS season doesn't run as long as the European season and having played most of my career in Europe, my body has been trained and geared not to have that amount of time off.

''Obviously, I will be honoured to be given the chance to train and play with the likes of Ronaldinho and Kaka, but it also gives me the chance to keep my fitness up and carry that on for when I come back to the Galaxy for the new MLS season.''

He rubbished suggestions he had bought a house in Milan and denied planning to purchase a jet, and also confirmed LA Galaxy remain his priority.

''Next season is an important one for the Galaxy,'' Beckham remarked. ''We haven't been in the play-offs for three years now and for a team like LA Galaxy we all know that isn't good enough.

''(Head coach) Bruce Arena will also have had the chance over the past few months to get used to the squad and, with his experience and previous success, he'll want to make sure that we're up there competing next year.''

Galaxy boss Arena has given his blessing to Beckham's transfer. Arena had described the deal as ''an odd proposition'' last week and questioned whether the MLS and Galaxy would benefit.

However he has become convinced Beckham is making the right move.

''Clearly I think this is an ideal situation for David,'' Arena told Sky Sports News. ''It can benefit David, it can benefit England, it can benefit the LA Galaxy and hopefully it benefits AC Milan as well.''

Arena expects the 2009 MLS season to start on March 19, and he stressed Beckham will be involved.

''David will be back and have a couple of weeks of training with our team and will be ready to really kick off in a good fashion in 2009,'' Arena said.

The former United States head coach recognises Beckham's desire to stay involved and active with England.

''I can't speak for David but what motivates any top-level footballer is the fact that playing for your national team is the greatest honour,'' Arena said. ''And having the potential to play in another World Cup is every player's dream. I think these are the things that motivate him.''

Celebrity, fashion icon, salesman for myriad of products; it is sometimes difficult to focus on the football. To his credit, Beckham has remained a highly effective performer for much of his career. And just when his star seems set to dim, he has always seemed able to resurrect himself. Determination has been as great a factor in his success as good looks.

Not blessed with the pace or natural skill of many of his contemporaries from the Manchester United finishing school, Beckham's engine, passing range and dead-ball skills, borne out of countless hours spent on the training ground, have made him a hugely effective performer for Manchester United, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy and his country. And he is still hallowed at Preston North End, where he made his league debut, while on loan from United during 1994/5.

A Londoner by birth, he nevertheless sought and found his footballing fortunes at United, the club his 'Cockney Red' father had indoctrinated him into. Part of United's famous 1992 Youth Cup winning side, he emerged as a first-teamer during the 1994/5 season, making his United league debut against Leeds United.

The moment it all changed for him was the opening day of the 1996/7 season, when a goal from the halfway line at Wimbledon announced him as a star of the present, let alone future.

Though by this point, many had forgotten the football. And when Beckham became a pariah after his sending off at the 1998 World Cup, it became harder to separate the image from the footballer.

That Beckham followed his shame by having the best season of his career said much about that determination. United won their fabled 1998/9 Treble with the denouement in the Nou Camp resulting from two typically struck Beckham corners.

Vindication was to follow on the international stage. Granted the captaincy in 2000 as England sought to establish a new era, Beckham raised his game to become a captain who inspired by example if not words; he has never been the most articulate of souls.

Beckham-mania followed when his last-minute free-kick against Greece propelled England to the 2002 World Cup. If anything, the hype intensified when his metatarsal was fractured in the build-up to Japan and Korea. A half-fit Beckham broke the hoodoo of France '98 by scoring the winning goal against Argentina. From there, like his colleagues, he faded in the Far East sun and is yet to perform well in a major tournament. If Euro 2004 was bad, Germany 2006 was disastrous and his ceding of the captaincy in July 2006 came after six years in which England never matched the ravenous hype that surrounded them.

An infamous incident with a flying boot didn't help and nor did the usual courting tactics of Real Madrid. United sold him to Real Madrid for a fee of £25m in June 2003. It was move that, in footballing terms, took a while to work for any of the parties.

The 'Galacticos' era may have matched his celebrity status, yet Beckham would remain trophyless at the Bernabeu until the very last game of his time there; the Liga title of 2007. Nevertheless, he was a popular player in Spain, where his all-action style set him apart from exalted colleagues whose level of effort was often in question.

Like his exit from Old Trafford, a move to America for 'Brand Beckham' always seemed a distinct possibility. In taking Beckham at 33, LA Galaxy secured the services of a player who still had something to give. Contract negotiations with Real were rendered meaningless by a five-year deal worth $250million that was announced in January 2007.

Beckham has described his American adventure as 'a new challenge'. Despite a first year riven with injury, it is said that his paymasters have made their money back already. Opposing clubs have seen a spike in attendance, and fans have been able to see the qualities that Beckham is able to bring to a football field as he continues to reinvent himself as a footballer.

Galaxy again failed to perform in the 2008 MLS season, not making the play-offs and ranked as one of the worst teams in the competition. Beckham missed numerous games while on England duty with Fabio Capello's England and, desperate to stay in the coach's thoughts during the US off season, negotiated a return to Europe with AC Milan in January 2009.

Though the move to Serie A was for just two months before the start of the next MLS season it may well be that Beckham covets a move back to the more competitive European game. With Milan he will stay fit and playing with his dream of playing at the 2010 World Cup still in his sights. Only time will tell if it benefits Milan as a business or as a team.