Can Somebody Pick Up David Beckham's Mail?
By JONATHAN LLOYD
Updated 2:15 PM PST, Mon, Nov 2, 2009
David Beckham is going to be out of town for a while.
The Los Angeles Galaxy Monday completed an agreement to loan Beckham to Italy's AC Milan, leaving the Major League Soccer team without the midfielder until after the 2010 World Cup.
Terms of the loan were not announced.
Beckham will remain with the Galaxy through the 2009 MLS playoffs and its postseason tour of Germany.
Beckham will officially join AC Milan on Dec. 28, remaining with the Serie A club throughout its season which ends on May 16. Beckham will re-join the Galaxy when the summer transfer window opens in July and England completes its play in the World Cup, scheduled to conclude July 11 in South Africa.
"I need to give myself the best chance possible to make the World Cup squad, and playing for Milan on loan will help me to do that," Beckham said in a statement. "I genuinely enjoyed my time at Milan and I look forward to meeting the players and staff again."
Beckham said he was "thankful to Tim Leiweke and Bruce Arena for allowing me this opportunity," referring to the president and chief executive officer of AEG, the sports and entertainment presenter which owns the Galaxy, and the team's coach and general manager.
"I'm committed to L.A. Galaxy and MLS in the long term and remain as passionate as ever about growing the game of soccer in America," he said. "I'm completely focused on ending this season on a high note with my club by winning the MLS Cup."
The loan agreement means Beckham will miss the start of the MLS season for the second consecutive year. He drew boos nearly every time he touched the ball July 19 in his first game in Southern California this year, after missing the Galaxy's first 17 games of the 30-game MLS season as he played for AC Milan.
Beckham had two goals and three assists in 11 games for the Galaxy this season. He did not figure in the scoring in a 2-2 tie with Chivas USA on Sunday in the opening game of Western Conference semifinal playoff series at The Home Depot Center.
The two-game, total-goals series concludes next Sunday at the Carson venue.
Copyright City News Service / NBC Los Angeles
First Published: Nov 2, 2009 2:05 PM PST
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