David Beckham’s debut for AC Milan on Sunday night has not just proved to him that he can still belong in the elite of the game, it has reinforced the idea that, at 33, he remains a spring chicken. This is only one reason why Milan have been very clear that they would like him to remain with them beyond the contracted two-month loan period.

At Milan, he is not only being exposed daily to Paolo Maldini, a first-team player and captain at the age of 40, but he has also been working with a state-of-the-art sports science department that has convinced him that he can follow suit.

Carlo Ancelotti, the Milan coach, said on Sunday night after Milan’s 2-2 draw away to Roma that he, too, believes that Beckham has the athleticism and attitude to perpetuate a career beyond the remaining year and a half on his contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy. The contract with the Major League Soccer club had appeared to offer a smart and acceptable path down which he could play out the last of his footballing days, but Ancelotti sees him going on way beyond that. “He can last a long time,” he said. To 40? “I think so because he works very hard, with a lot of intensity and discipline.”

Beckham fancies the idea of stretching out his career in the way that Maldini has. “I hope so,” he said. “I love the game. When I stop loving the game, that’s when I’ll decide I’ll stop playing. But I’m still in love with it.”

Italy has proved an enlightening experience in just a short time. The pace of Serie A clearly suits a player in his thirties more than the Barclays Premier League but the sports science team have put him through every test imaginable and reported that while he has the necessary aerobic and cardiac fitness, there are other areas of his conditioning to improve on if he is to remain in the game for the long term. He has been told particularly to do strength and conditioning work on his legs and been given exercises for his lower back.

His fitness is only one reason why Milan would like to see more than two months of him. “Milan, for sure, have found an important player for our squad,” Ancelotti said after the game in Rome. He praised Beckham’s “disciplined” performances and added that he hoped to extract even more out of him. The Italian made it clear that he would like a longer-term arrangement in which to benefit from that, but added: “This is something he has to decide himself. We have to wait.”

However, while the possibility of Beckham staying in Milan appears to be taking root, it would be extremely expensive for Milan to buy Beckham out of any of his Galaxy contract and they have not even inquired as to whether it may be possible.

Beckham’s view was that “the contract and the agreement is that I go back to LA in March. I’m going to enjoy it \ up until then and we’ll see.” The question is now raised as to what, exactly, is it that we shall see.

The midfield player has relished the Milan experience. “Playing for this club comes with a certain amount of pressure,” he said. “I don’t usually feel nerves before games, but I felt a little bit. Coming back into this level of play and being part of this team and part of a team that has some of the best players in the world is tough.

“I have played at this level for so many years, I knew that if I ever came back into it, I’d be capable of it. It’s only the other people around me that doubt it. I enjoyed it; I felt very comfortable. I feel proud and honoured to be out there in this strip and with these players. I’ve had a few very proud moments in my career and this [Milan debut] is definitely one of them.”