21.19
Tim Leiweke, the chief executive of AEG, which owns the Los Angeles Galaxy, said today that AC Milan has not met Major League Soccer's Friday deadline to make a better offer for the English midfielder and that no late offer would be considered.
Asked what would happen if AC Milan made an offer over the weekend or next week, Leiweke said: "They'll come back. Sure they will. But we owe it to our fans [not to consider it]. They've been reading all these stories and we lose credibility by the day. That's not fair. We owe it to Bruce and we owe it to the rest of the team.
"We're a month away from our season."
Leiweke said AC Milan had not come close to offering what Beckham is worth.
Beckham has played six games while on loan to the seven-time European champions, winning three and tying three, and is expected to start in the "derby" match on Sunday when defending champion Inter Milan, secure in first place, plays third-place AC Milan.
One of Italy's all-time great players, 40-year-old defender and AC Milan captain Paolo Maldini, said Friday that Beckham would be a welcome addition to the permanent roster.
"David has expressed his desire to stay and that is what the club wants, too," Maldini said.
"I don't know how his contractual problems will be resolved, but if they are resolved we'll be very happy to have him until the end of the season and next year, too, being as that is what he wants.
"When two people meet and they are happy, I think there should be a marriage."
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