• 'I hope to arrange for him to stay until 30 June' – chief executive • Italian club hope to sign 33-year-old permanently in January

Milan remain intent on extending David Beckham's loan from Los Angeles Galaxy until the end of June with a view to signing him permanently next year, their chief executive, Adriano Galliani, revealed yesterday.

"Negotiations are getting more intense," Galliani told the club's in-house television channel. "I hope to manage to arrange for him to stay here at least until 30 June on loan. Then he could return to Los Angeles and come back in January. It's a complicated path, as we have always known, but I'm trying."

The loan extension is expected to be finalised by the end of the week, the Los Angeles Times reported on its website (www.latimes.com).

Beckham is due to return to Galaxy on 9 March if a deal is not reached. The clubs had been in talks over a permanent transfer but were unable to agree on a fee.

The 33-year-old midfielder initially joined Milan to stay in contention for England selection during the Major League Soccer close season but enjoyed playing top-class football again so much that he set his sights on a long-term stay.

Beckham has settled well, scoring two goals in nine Serie A games, although the level of his recent performances has dipped as Milan have run into some poor form. The Rossoneri were knocked out of the Uefa Cup by Werder Bremen last Thursday, lost 2-1at Sampdoria on Sunday and are 12 points behind the league leaders, Internazionale.