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David Beckham always said that he Mbts  never wanted to leave Manchester United and yesterday the Champions League draw gave him the chance to make an emotional return to Old Trafford for the first time since he was effectively booted out by Sir Alex Ferguson more than six years ago.

The England midfield player will join AC Milan on loan for a second time from the Los Angeles Galaxy in nine days’ time, but while the move was intended primarily to maintain his form and fitness before the World Cup finals in South Africa, it will hold an extra significance after the Serie A club were paired with his former team in the first knockout round.

Yesterday’s draw may not have been what either team wanted — or Ferguson, whose dim view of the fanfare that surrounds Beckham is well known and arguably the main reason he sold him to Real Madrid in July 2003 — but it is a dream pairing as far as the player is concerned.

Beckham uttered an incredulous expletive when informed of the news in the United States but was said by his representatives to be “delighted”. The first leg will take place at San Siro on February 16, with the second leg at Old Trafford on March 10.

Beckham was given a standing ovation Mbt.com when he addressed the Old Trafford crowd at a friendly match between United and a Europe XI in March 2007, but he has not played against his former club since his controversial exit.

He always hoped that he would get the chance to do so with Real, but during his four seasons at the Bernabéu, United were never drawn against the Spanish club and when he signed for the Galaxy, it seemed that the dream was unlikely to be realised.

Beckham’s days at Old Trafford were numbered the moment Ferguson kicked a boot that struck him above the eye, causing a cut that required stitches, after the United manager reacted furiously in the dressing room to his team’s 2-0 FA Cup fifth-round defeat by Arsenal. Four-and-a-half months later, Beckham was goneShoes Mbt.

Ferguson has never discussed the reasons for Beckham’s departure, but speaking in Glasgow two years ago, he claimed things started to go awry after the player married Victoria Beckham in July 1999, shortly after United won the treble. “He was never a problem until he got married,” the United manager said. “He used to go into work with the academy coaches at night-time, he was a fantastic young lad.

“Getting married into that entertainment scene was a difficult thing. From that moment, his life was never going to be the same. He is such a big celebrity, football is only a small part.”

Beckham, though, has never hidden his admiration for Ferguson, regularly referring to the Scot as the greatest manager of all time.

Patrice Evra, the United left back who may be tasked with marking Beckham, said that the club would roll out the welcome mat but that such pleasantries would not extend to the pitch. “He did a lot of great things for Manchester United and I want to say to him, ‘Welcome home’, Mbt shoes but I hope he plays badly and I intend to make sure he doesn’t do very well,” Evra said.

United were beaten by Milan in the Champions League semi-finals three seasons ago, winning the first leg at Old Trafford 3-2 before being outclassed 3-0 at San Siro. They have reached the past two finals, although Ferguson claimed yesterday that his players learnt more in losing to Barcelona in Rome in May than they did by beating Chelsea on penalties in Moscow 12 months earlier.

“Winning was great in Moscow, but in some ways losing the final was even better for us in terms of realising what a big occasion it is, because you’re not part of the celebrations,” he said.

“We’ve come up against AC Milan many times in the quarter and semi-finals, so it’ll be a fantastic setting for two great clubs and we’re very much looking forward to it.”

Ferguson will hope his team’s injury problems have relented by then. Nani joined the wounded list yesterday, the winger facing a fortnight on the sidelines with ankle injury Mbt shoes sale.

There was some better news with Ryan Giggs signing a new contract that will tie him to the club until the end of next season.