Milan expect Beckham to be back

AC Milan hope David Beckham will return to the club for five months from January despite the anger of LA Galaxy fans, the Italian club's chief executive Adriano Galliani said on Tuesday.

The midfielder joined Milan on loan last January to stay in the England reckoning and then extended his stay in Italy, missing the start of the US season.

On his return to Los Angeles, he suffered abuse from his own Galaxy crowd and tried to confront angry supporters during the friendly against Milan on Sunday.

"David knows the gates of Milanello [Milan's training ground] are open for him, his lawyers know that too," Galliani told reporters.

"I hope he returns in January. The most probable scenario is that Beckham comes in January until the end of next season and then returns to America. Before January there is no chance."

Beckham has said he wants to return to Europe, and preferably Milan, for another loan stint to make sure he has a chance of an England squad place for next year's World Cup in South Africa if they qualify.