It looks like David Beckham is likely headed back for another winter loan spell with A.C. Milan. While the move will unquestionably help the English international's hopes of participating in the 2010 World Cup, it is just another example of Milan putting marketability ahead of on-field success.
This is not intended to be a criticism of Beckham in any way. The man has had an incredible career and is a player I still rate highly. And I must admit Beckham played very well for Milan, particularly in the early stage of his loan last season.
Nevertheless, I cannot help but feel this is the wrong move for a team in desperate need of a rejuvenated and energetic midfield if they are to finish in Italy's top four at the end of the year.
Milan's biggest problem right now is the advanced age of its starting lineup. This is the result of the team having chosen to sign big, aging names, while rivals Inter and Juventus stacked up on youth and quality. Such a philosophy in the transfer market has finally caught up with the Rossoneri this season. The team is off to a disastrous start in Serie A. In eight league games, Milan has managed to score a paltry six goals (16 of 20 Serie A teams have better scoring records) and find themselves in eighth place in the standings.
Some of the blame for the team's scoring woes falls on the shoulders of young Brazilian striker Alexandre Pato, but more of the blame should rest on an unimaginative and sluggish midfield, which is in desperate need of a spark since Kaka's departure this summer. And while I have a great deal of respect for Beckham's soccer accomplishments, I don't believe a 34-year-old midfielder is the spark this team is looking for.
So why has Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani come back to Beckham as an option? The most obvious answer is to bring a very average club the global attention it so desperately craves. In recent years under Galliani, Milan has been more concerned with its off-field brand than its on-field quality. Before Beckham's loan spell last season, there was the questionable signing of Ronaldinho and, before that, the disastrous Ronaldo experiment.
Where Beckham is concerned, this is a perfect move and I applaud him for it. He is going to a squad he's familiar with and one with which he is sure to get plenty of starts. He even has a chance to show off his skills on the biggest of European stages, should Milan qualify for the Champions League knockout stages.
In the end Beckham's seemingly inevitable return to Milan will greatly benefit the player in the short term. And where Milan is concerned, I expect more of the same struggles with or without him.
Zach Benabid
