It takes an awful lot to make Milan fans turn up at the San Siro these days, and the promise of seeing new signing David Beckham before the match with Udinese was enough to put bums on about half the available seats.

Despite the lukewarm welcome, Beckham will wear black and red until March, starting with a winter training camp in the UAE. Some are simply calling the loan a cynical marketing exercise, yet the benefits of playing for a top European side (well, a UEFA Cup side) are clear: he will be able to maintain fitness, perhaps earn a place in the World Cup 2010 squad, and if Ronaldinho and Kaka allow it, he could even bang in a few of his trademark free kicks.

Beckham is contractually obliged to return to Los Angeles for the new Soccerball season, but he has admitted that he has looked into Italian schools for his kids, suggesting the loan may become permanent.

He may have raised the profile of the game in the US and hanging out with Tom Cruise is super great fun, but the LA Galaxy are still as shit as they were two years ago, and he risks falling off Fabio’s radar if he goes back to stare at cheerleaders in sunny California.