by JC Campbell

Created on: January 28, 2009   Last Updated: March 02, 2009

Will David Beckham stay with AC Milan? If Beckham makes the decision the answer is yes, but if LA Lakers do, then probably not. The question of whether or not David Beckham will stay in Milan has been very clearly answered by Beckham himself on his visit to my home city of Glasgow where Rangers were hosts to AC Milan in a friendly. When interviewed at Glasgow Airport and asked specifically if he was staying in Milan, Beckham made it clear that if the choice was his alone, he would definitely remain with the Italian giants. Though he appreciates that LA Galaxy will have a big part to play in what transpires, he had made it abundantly clear where he wants to be for the rest of this season and beyond.

He is of course still under contract to LA Galaxy and his move to AC Milan was initially a loan agreement for a few months which would allow Beckham to play at a high level and maintain his fitness. It is easy to understand why Beckham would choose to stay in Milan in preference to returning to Galaxy. The prospect of playing football at the highest level in the European Champions League and Serie A is one reason. Another is that playing in Europe, particularly with a club like Milan would greatly increase his chances of playing for England under Italian coach Fabio Capello. There is no doubt if the decision was left solely to David Beckham, Milan would be a permanent move.

David Beckham is clearly past his sell-by-date as a soccer player and the only reason he has been the target of AC Milan and previously, LA Galaxy is because of his celebrity status. Whether or not Beckham stays with Milan will solely be dependent on the amount of cash on offer and possibly the wishes of his celebrity conscious wife Victoria. Milan or LA will suit Victoria down to the ground as a dedicated follower of fashion. As for David Beckham the footballer, his best days are gone but he is still a draw for major clubs in spite of this.

Bringing Beckham to Milan achieved the same result for them as it did with LA Galaxy, it raised the profile of the club in the eyes of the soccer world and more importantly, put bums on seats in the stadiums where he was to appear. If fans attended soccer matches simply based on the skill and ability of the players in question, there would not be too many who would show up to watch David Beckham. Most knowledgeable soccer fans would rate Beckham as an ordinary player who had a special talent in dead ball situations. He was a good player to have in the team because

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