AC Milan will officially present British superstar David Beckham to their fans on Saturday with a splashy media event amid hope he will provide the inspiration to turn around another disappointing season.
Beckham is on a three-month loan from Los Angeles Galaxy but the arrival of the 33-year-old England midfielder is almost a godsend after Milan this month lost Italy midfielder Gennaro (Rino) Gattuso for six months due to a knee injury.
Speaking on an Italian TV talk show on Wednesday, Gattuso said that Beckham ''has done just about everything, in a way he has even changed the image of soccer players. I'm not surprised he accepted this short-term loan and if he fits in and plays well it will be hard to see him go''.
During his stay in Italy Beckham will be eligible for ten Serie A matches as well as two UEFA games, should Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti decide to name him to the European squad.
Beckham chose to play for Milan during his own team's off-season in order to keep in shape, hoping for a call from England coach Fabio Capello and a chance to add to his national caps tally, which currently stands at 107.
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid player needs only one more cap to match the 108 England record for midfielders held by Bobbie Moore.
Earlier this week Capello said he would keep an eye on Beckham at Milan and that should he he play well a call to the national squad would be ''possible''.
The England coach made it clear, however, that there will be no ''sympathy'' call-up for Beckham who, like everyone else, must demonstrate that he deserves to play for his country.
Capello, a former Milan coach, had Beckham in his lineup when they were both at Real Madrid.
Milan kicked off the season with high hopes of winning the Serie A title and the UEFA Cup.
However, the team is currently nine points behind standings leader Inter, its crosstown rival, and on Wednesday failed to end at the top of its UEFA group after a 2-2 draw against German side Wolfsburg.
This means it may face one of the teams eliminated from the Champions League when the UEFA Cup goes into its knockout stage.
Milan on Sunday night will host Udinese at the San Siro for their last Serie A match of the year.
Coach Ancelotti will know either Thursday or Friday whether he will have his star Brazilian striker Kaka back on his roster after a groin inflammation kept him off the field for two matches.
Beckham will begin training with his new teammates on December 29 and hopes to be on the field for Milan's first 2009 Serie A match, January 11, away against AS Roma, another side eager to correct a bad start to the season.
This weekend's other first division matches will see Inter travel to Siena; second-placed Juventus will be hosted by Atalanta; Napoli, currently tied for third with Milan, visits Torino; Fiorentina plays in Genoa against Sampdoria; Genoa hosts last-placed Chievo Verona; Lazio meets Palermo at home; Roma is away against Catania; Cagliari hosts Reggina; and Lecce will receive Bologna.
