Milan refuse to confirm Beckham transfer reports

AC Milan on Friday refused to confirm or deny reports that they have come to an agreement with Los Angeles Galaxy for the permanent transfer of David Beckham.

A Milan press spokesman told AFP that no comment would be made from the club until an announcement is made on Milan’s official website.

Earlier in the day English press reports claimed a deal had been struck to keep the former England captain at the San Siro until the end of the season.

Under a unique ‘timeshare’ agreement the England midfielder would then return to Galaxy from July to October before returning to Milan in November for the rest of next season.

Beckham’s determination to stay at Milan is so great that he will allegedly fund part of the deal himself.

A spokesman for Beckham declined to comment.

The deal follows weeks of negotiations between the two clubs during which Milan baulked at the size of transfer fee demanded by Galaxy — thought to be around 12 million euros.

Milan reportedly were only willing to pay three million dollars.

Beckham initially joined Milan on loan in January until this weekend and was due to head back to the United States on Monday, following Milan’s home clash with Atalanta on Sunday.

However, the 33-year-old, who arranged the loan deal in order to keep active during the long Major League Soccer off season so he could remain in England manager Fabio Capello’s World Cup plans, quickly made it clear he didn’t want to go back to Los Angeles.

Milan too were keen to keep hold of the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star who immediately became a first-team fixture.