MILAN, February 16 – David Beckham has admitted that he would find it hard to go back to Los Angeles if the Galaxy and AC Milan failed to come to an agreement over his proposed transfer.
Beckham was speaking following his team’s 2-1 defeat to champions Inter in the Milan derby on Sunday that virtually ended Milan’s hopes of claiming the Scudetto crown this season.
And while he said he had nothing new to add in the way of developments to his potential switch from the Americans to the Italian giants, he left no doubt as to how he would feel should the move not go through.
"(There’s) nothing that I know of, not yet," said Beckham who is desperate for a switch to Italy to enhance his chances of playing in the 2010 World Cup finals.
"I’ve said I want to stay here and obviously if I do go back it will be a bit difficult. But I’m always professional so we will have to wait and see when the final decision is made.
"I hope things go the way I want them to. I’ve already said that I want to stay, I’m enjoying my time here and hopefully I will (stay)."
"Talks have obviously been going on and on and whether talks will go on or not, everyone’s still talking about it. It’s out of my hands but there will be talks next week."
Sunday’s result was a real blow for Milan and Beckham admitted that the title was starting to look beyond his team who are in third spot in the table, 11 points behind their city rivals.
"We’re quite far behind, we were before the game started and we needed to win it," said the former England skipper.
"You never know in this league, it’s up and down, you can win one week and play great. There’s a chance but it’s slim."
Beckham said it was an honour to have played in a Milan derby having previously played in ‘El Classico’ in Spain between Barcelona and Real Madrid and clashes between Manchester United and Liverpool in England.
"It’s one of the biggest games in football, sure it would be better if you win it. It was a tough game, in the first half we conceded two goals. It’s tough to come back from that," said Beckham who was substituted in the second half.
"We played better towards the end and put more men up front and that caused them more problems.
"They are all huge games, the biggest games in football and I’m proud to have played one in England, one in Spain and now one in Italy, but it would have been better to have had a different result.
"The pressure that they (Inter) put on us in the first half, especially the first 20-25 minutes set the tempo for the game.
"We came back in the last 20-25 minutes and there were some decisions that went more their way than anything else but I’m taking nothing away from them, they have great players and they’re a very good team."
Beckham also said that the result, Milan’s success and the uncertain future of Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti would all have no bearing on his personal future in Italy.
"Not one bit. The club have made it clear they want me for the rest of the season. He (Ancelotti) is a great manager and I hope he stays here. He’s already said he doesn’t want to go anywhere.
"There’s always speculation around great managers and great players."
Ancelotti refused to be drawn on his own future but insisted that despite Galaxy’s claims on Friday night that any deal was off, there was still time to finalise an agreement.
"I have a contract until 2010, after that we’ll see what we do. For Beckham there is still time until March 9 to find a solution," he said.
