AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti admits loan signing David Beckham has been far more influential than the club expected as the Rossoneri work to keep the England midfielder for the rest of the season and beyond.
Beckham's loan from the Los Angeles Galaxy is due to end on March 9, but Milan are keen to keep him and the 33-year-old ex-England captain said on Wednesday that he wants to stay in Italy.
"Beckham has expressed his wish," said Ancelotti today. "Now we will wait and see how the situation develops. There is time until March 9 to reach a solution."
Ancelotti believes Beckham has done wonders for his team. "What is certain is that David has not changed Milan's life, because we were competitive before," he said. "But he probably has given a superior contribution to what we expected.
"We knew he was a great and serious professional. "Then he has placed his quality and probably the position on the pitch is ideal for him, because for some years now he is less of a winger and more of a midfielder. "He is predisposed to play on the right and with a midfield set-up like ours, in that type of position where he can cross and give good assists he can certainly give something more to our game."
A day does not go by in Milan when Beckham fails to make the headlines. Right now, all those headlines are regarding his future. While Beckham and his Milan team-mates have been trying to focus on matters on the pitch, Milan have been trying to position themselves in the best way possible to keep the England midfielder at the club.
Bayern Munich president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge admitted that Milan had called them as the German club also have a Galaxy player - Landon Donovan - on loan at present.
When Rummenige was asked about whether Los Angeles Galaxy would allow both players to leave, he said on the club's official website: "I don't know. Milan called us (on Thursday) to ask the same question.
"I am obviously doubtful that Galaxy will want to be without the two players. But I believe a compromise will be reached." The Galaxy have refused to comment on Beckham's situation.
The Italian media says that Milan are looking to spend 5million euros on Beckham's transfer while the player himself would pocket 4.5million euros and also keep all of his marketing rights.