David Beckham will stay on loan at AC Milan for the rest of the season before returning to the Los Angeles Galaxy although his long-term future remains unresolved.

"I'm really grateful to the LA Galaxy and AC Milan for making this dream deal happen," the England midfielder said in an e-mail yesterday. "The perfect result for 2009 would be for me to help Milan to reach the Champions League and for the LA Galaxy to make the playoffs and win the MLS Cup."

Milan said in a statement that Beckham would stay at the club until June 30. He will then return to Los Angeles but Milan made no mention of what will happen at the end of the US Major League Soccer season in November. The Rossoneri are hoping to take him back at the end of the year.

(Shanghai Daily March 9, 2009)