Beckham's short-term loan from the Los Angeles Galaxy has ended but the Serie A club yesterday confirmed they had secured his services for the remainder of this season.

Beckham has a clause in his Galaxy contract that will allow him to pull out of that deal in November - two years before the contract ends.

"I would like to end this tournament helping Milan qualify for the Champions League, which is in the club's DNA," Beckham said as reported in Gazzetta dello Sport. "Milan belongs to the Champions League. And I also hope to be a part of it myself.

"People ask how I will be able to play at Milan and in Galaxy. I have never feared work, and then I will have a long four-week holiday and another break in December.

"Therefore, when I return (to Milan) in January, I will be in top form.

"This is why the agreement is perfect."

Beckham became the face of Major League Soccer when he joined the North American-based league from Real Madrid.

Despite deciding to remain in Italy instead of returning to California as originally planned, he thinks there is a good chance that MLS will get stronger in the future.

"I think soccer in America can one day become very important, and one day, when I retire, I would like to buy a team in Major League Soccer," he said.

"I want to contribute to the development of soccer in the United States. It is one thing that really excites me and besides that, my family is happy in Los Angeles."

AC Milan club administrator Adriano Galliani praised Beckham for his willingness to give up a "mountain of money" to stay at the club.

"All players express their affection for a club, but few have showed it in a tangible manner by renouncing a mountain of money. Beckham is one of these," said Galliani.

As for the 33-year-old, he believes his decision to remain at the Rossoneri answers those critics that saw his arrival to Milan back in January as a publicity stunt for Beckham and the Italian club.

"I have done many good things in my career," said Beckham."I have played in great clubs and I am happy to remain at Milan.

"My career is only based on the pitch, people speak of the money that I have earned, but I have never seen it as a money issue, only football, and I hope I have proved this."

Beckham said that a big part of his motivation to continue playing for Milan is his sense of "duty" with respect to playing for England at the 2010 World Cup.

"I am playing in one of the best clubs with the best players in the world," he said of Milan. "I want to play also to have a chance to play in the World Cup, I think I have the duty to do everything possible to be called by Fabio Capello. Everyone knows how much I would like to play for my country.

"Many people have helped me to arrive to the national team and today I want to help myself."