LOS ANGELES -- David Beckham is confident he's fit enough to embark on a year-round, continent-hopping soccer marathon.
The midfielder will stay with AC Milan through the end of the Italian team's season, which concludes May 31. He'll be available for England's two World Cup qualifiers in June before taking a few weeks off and rejoining the Los Angeles Galaxy on July 1.
Beckham, who turns 34 in May, is renowned for his stamina.
"I feel that physically I'm in possibly the best shape of my career," he told The Associated Press-affiliated SNTV. "I know that when I'm physically in the right condition it doesn't matter what age I am. I know that if I'm physically fit enough then I can play at the highest level.
"People have talked about the amount of games that I will be playing and the amount of hours I will be playing football. But it's never bothered me, that side of the game. I have always loved playing as many games as possible."
It's going to cost Beckham to stay overseas. He and AC Milan are jointly paying the Galaxy in a "multimillion dollar deal" to extend his loan, the Galaxy said in a statement issued late Saturday night.
"A lot of players show their affection just with words. David Beckham is one of the very few who has shown it with deeds," AC Milan chairman Adriano Galliani said Sunday on Italian state television.
"He has made an incredible economic commitment, paying a lot of money from his own pocket," Galliani added.
Financial terms of the arrangement were not disclosed. The Galaxy had sought at least $10 million for the outright purchase of Beckham, but AC Milan officials had offered $3 million.
The two sides were negotiating for weeks and agreed on the loan extension hours before it was due to expire after AC Milan's game Sunday.
"The obvious (reason for staying at Milan) is giving me the chance to play in the 2010 World Cup," Beckham said. "I personally have to do everything I can do to be involved in that. Everyone knows how passionate I am about playing for my country and, if it gives me a better chance of being involved in that squad, I'll do anything possible to make that happen."
The announcement came three weeks after Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber's Feb. 13 deadline to resolve the situation.
At the time, Tim Leiweke, president and chief executive of the Galaxy's parent company AEG, had said the negotiations were over and that Beckham needed to return to Los Angeles and end the distraction.
"We never felt we were losing David; we felt all along he was getting back," Galaxy general manager and coach Bruce Arena said on a conference call Sunday. "That was one way of Tim sending a message to AC Milan that we were pretty serious in this negotiation and there were certain issues that had to be resolved."
Beckham has scored two goals in 12 games for Milan and looks to be in his best form since leaving Real Madrid two years ago. He played in Milan's 3-0 win over Atalanta on Sunday.
"He was involved in the action and handled himself very well," Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said.
The former England captain repeatedly said he didn't want to return to the Galaxy. Arena believes Beckham's attitude has changed, based on their e-mail exchange Sunday.
"He's pretty pleased with coming back. He wants to be in LA, he wants to take on this challenge," the coach said. "If this player had no interest in being here, we would not have done this, I can guarantee you that."
Beckham has a five-year contract with MLS worth $32.5 million, and he can buy out the final two years and leave in November when the season ends.
Beckham's first game with the Galaxy will be July 16 against the New York Red Bulls at Giants Stadium, which will be moved up two days from its original date on the league schedule.
The change is necessary to accommodate another part of the deal, an exhibition between AC Milan and the Galaxy at Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., on July 19.
In all, Beckham will be available for just six home games and 13 of the team's 31 overall.
"It's great to have resolution," Arena said. "Is it perfect? Of course, it's not perfect, but that's OK. Just getting this thing finalized is a key part of us moving on and getting better."
When he does return, Beckham is likely to be demoted from the captain's role, which Landon Donovan turned over to him in 2007.
Beckham said his family is happy and will remain in Los Angeles.
In a move to accommodate fans who endured the back-and-forth speculation on Beckham's future in Los Angeles, the team said it will cut ticket prices by an average of 10 percent.
Refunds will be issued for anyone who has already purchased season or individual tickets. The failing economy, coupled with the Beckham saga, has kept sales down.
"It's been difficult," said Tom Payne, the Galaxy's business operations president. "People have been sitting on their hands wondering what's happening."
Beckham said his ideal scenario for the year would be to help Milan reach the Champions League and for the Galaxy to make the playoffs and win the MLS Cup.
But the Galaxy haven't come close to postseason play since Beckham arrived with ankle and knee injuries amid much hoopla in July 2007.
He had no goals and two assists as the Galaxy finished with a 9-14-7 record. Last season, Beckham had five goals and 10 assists, but the Galaxy's 8-13-9 record tied for the worst in MLS.
Beckham was injured last season, when he left the Galaxy at various times for appearances with England's national team.
Arena said Sunday that he doesn't want Beckham recalled to England duty for that country's friendly on Aug. 12.
Beckham's greatest impact in America has come at the turnstiles.
The Galaxy's average home attendance last season was up by 24.9 percent since 2006, and the league's attendance increased 6.9 percent during the same period. Average ratings of games on ESPN in which Beckham played rose by 23 percent.
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AP Soccer Writer Robert Millward in London contributed to this report.