LOS ANGELES — The Galaxy rejected AC Milan's initial offer for David Beckham and expects the Italian club to come back with a much higher bid, or the British midfielder will be back in Los Angeles next month.

Tim Leiweke, chief executive of the company that owns the Galaxy, told the Los Angeles Times on Friday he would not consider an extended loan of the 33-year-old England international to Milan, but he was willing to negotiate a purchase deal.

"Clearly, if David's in a position where he wants to finish the season in Milan, and Milan in turn compensates the Galaxy so that we can suffer no damages to our fans or to our team, then we'll take a look at it," said Leiweke, the CEO of the Anschutz Entertainment Group.

"But we have made it very clear to them that we expect David back here March 9," he continued. "They agree and understand we own the contract. They understand the only way we do this is if, when this is all said and done, the Galaxy benefits."

AC Milan vice president Adriano Galliani told Sky Italia on Saturday that the two sides are far apart on how much it will cost to buy out Beckham's contract, but said he's willing to parley. Neither Galliani nor Leiwecke would talk numbers.

"There's a long distance between what we've offered and what they want," Galliani said. "Therefore we need to talk. For now we are a long way off, but there is a still a month to go."

Beckham, on a three-month loan to Milan until March 8, last week announced that he wants to stay with the team.

If no deal is reached with the Italian club, Beckham has agreed to fulfill his contract with the Galaxy, Leiweke said.

"David has made it very clear that if our decision is to bring him back here, he will return. Period," the team owner said.

Galliani took the chance to again praise Beckham, who has started all six matches since joining Milan and scored twice.

"He's doing very well and has an incredible desire," he said. "On Wednesday evening we played in Glasgow. He had cough and a bit of cold, but he didn't want to leave."

"Beckham is educated, he looks after his own money, he cleans his own boots. He is an old type of player, that I like."

Beckham's performance on the Milan team has earned him a recall to play in the England's exhibition against Spain on Wednesday.

England manager Fabio Capello named Beckham as one of 23 players who will go to Seville to take on the European champions, who are on a 28-game unbeaten run.

"Beckham is a very important player," Capello said. "His form is OK now. I followed him in Milan. Now he's fit. You know every player who wants to be in the squad has to play, not only training. It's important to David, it's important for us."

Although Beckham played as a late substitute in all four World Cup qualifying victories, he was dropped for November's 2-1 victory over Germany in Berlin because the Galaxy failed to qualify for the MLS playoffs and his season had effectively finished three weeks earlier.

Leiweke told the Times that Beckham's disappointment with the MLS was understandable.

"We understand his (Beckham's) infatuation with playing on the world's most popular club team right now, and we understand his trying to mentally get around the idea of coming back to play with a team that didn't make the playoffs in MLS last year," Leiweke said.

"That said ... he has never forced our hand on anything. This is not a legal conversation and has never been a legal conversation. He does not have lawyers looking at the contract."