MILAN, Italy — AC Milan is close to signing David Beckham in a loan deal that would allow the Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder and former England captain to play in Italy for a few months starting in January.
“We’re discussing it with his agent,” Milan vice president Adriano Galliani said Wednesday.
With the Major League Soccer season in the United States nearly over, Beckham is eager to join another club in Europe so he can remain in shape and keep his place on England’s team for World Cup qualifying. England coach Fabio Capello has said he will not pick players who are not active.
“We’ll sign him for a few months and then he’ll go back. Beckham has chosen Milan,” Galliani said. “Our team is very competitive and will remain as is, but Beckham is something different and intriguing.”
MLS commissioner Don Garber confirmed the talks, but said Beckham will be playing for the Galaxy at the start of the 2009 season.
• Houston Dynamo forward Kei Kamara and FC Dallas midfielder Pablo Ricchetti each will miss two games after receiving a red card last week. Both were suspended an additional game and fined an extra $250 by MLS, doubling the automatic suspension and fine for the red cards.
Vickers docked points; crew chief fined
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Brian Vickers was docked 150 driver points and crew chief Kevin Hamlin was fined $100,000 by NASCAR because the Red Bull Racing team dipped its sheet metal in acid to make it lighter than required.
Team owner Dietrich Mateschitz also was docked 150 owner points, while Hamlin and car chief Craig Smokstad were suspended indefinitely.
The infraction was discovered after the No. 83 Toyota was randomly selected for a postrace inspection after Vickers’ 11th-place finish Sunday at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.
• Despite a dismal economic outlook for U.S. automakers, the Ford Motor Co. extended its support of Roush Fenway Racing’s NASCAR program. The extension, believed to be a five-year deal, comes a day after billionaire Kirk Kerkorian’s investment firm sold part of its stake in Ford.
Mariners hire Zduriencik as GM
SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners hired Milwaukee Brewers special assistant Jack Zduriencik as their new general manager.
Zduriencik, 57, replaces Bill Bavasi, who was fired in June, and takes over for interim GM Lee Pelekoudas. The hiring prevents Los Angeles Dodgers assistant GM Kim Ng from becoming the first female GM in the major leagues.
Footnotes.
Buffalo Sabres captain Craig Rivet will miss at least two weeks after the defenseman underwent arthroscopic knee surgery.
• St. Louis Blues forward D.J. King will undergo season-ending surgery for a dislocated shoulder.
• Georgia Tech senior guard and team captain D’Andre Bell will have season-ending surgery to correct a spinal condition, but he said he still hopes to complete his college career in the 2009-10 season.
• Cyclist Paolo Bossoni was banned for two years for doping by the Italian Olympic Committee.
