AC Milan target Beckham: report

Champions League winners AC Milan want to sign Manchester United midfielder David Beckham for next season, according to an Italian publication.

Gazzetta dello Sport said a preliminary agreement between the Italian club and the player is already in place and that Milan president Silvio Berlusconi has made the England captain his priority summer signing.

Spanish giants Barcelona are also believed to be interested in signing the 28-year-old superstar, who is expected to fetch around 30 million pounds on the transfer market.

Italy's best-selling sports daily said United want to offload Beckham before his contract expires in 2005 when he would become available on a free transfer.

That would give manager Alex Ferguson the necessary funds to strengthen the squad and boost their chances of winning next season's Champions League.

The Gazzetta reasoned that if Beckham was sold United could make a move for Leeds United's Australian midfielder Harry Kewell and Paris St Germain's Brazilian World Cup star Ronaldinho.

Earlier this month Beckham's father ridiculed reports that his son would leave United.

Ted Beckham said his son loved playing for United and described rumours to the contrary as laughable.

"David is staying at Manchester United as long as they want him. He loves the club and doesn't want to go," he said.

"There is so much stuff written about him - the majority of it is wrong.

"If people say he is going to leave United, then all I can say is it's a big joke."

In March Beckham was linked with a move to Milan's arch rivals Inter after the player's wife Victoria was spotted looking at houses close to the nearby Lake Como.