Beckham signing good for him and Milan, says Sacchi

David Beckham's January loan move to AC Milan will be beneficial to player and club, former Milan boss Arrigo Sacchi said on Wednesday.

Beckham will join the Italian giants from MLS side LA Galaxy for several months once the transfer window reopens next year.

And although the former England captain is 33 now and has not played in one of Europe's top leagues for 18 months, when he left Real Madrid to join Galaxy, Sacchi believes this is a shrewd piece of business by Milan.

“I advised (Milan vice-president Adriano) Galliani to take Beckham because it can only be good for the team to have a different player to the others,” he told Radio Radio.

“Beckham is a great professional and a great guy, he's never any trouble and if he's still the player that I knew a few years ago, he will bring something extra to the team.

“In the past with great players such as Rivaldo and Ronaldo they weren't able to gel them into the team but with Beckham I think it will be mutually beneficial, for him and the team.

“When I was a coach I tried to bring into the team the youngest possible players that were ready.

“But there are always exceptions and Beckham is just so.”

Sacchi's opinion is always respected having guided Milan to the European Cup in successive seasons in 1989 and 1990 before leading Italy to a penalty defeat in the World Cup final against Brazil in 1994 in America.

And the 62-year-old is also aware of the marketing impact Beckham's signing will have on Milan.

“On a media and economic level there has never been as much interest in another person.

“Real Madrid had a very effective marketing programme and with him they made a lot of money,” said Sacchi, who was briefly Real's sporting director in 2004, when Beckham was a player in Madrid.

Milan are thus become the third European giant that Beckham has joined having already played for Manchester United and Real Madrid, probably the biggest clubs in England and Spain respectively, while Milan are arguably the biggest team in Italy.