June 30 (Bloomberg) -- David Beckham can expect a negative reaction from some fans when he returns to Major League Soccer next month, U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati said.

Beckham missed the start of the MLS season after negotiating an extension to his loan at AC Milan that expired today. The former England captain is due to make his comeback on July 16 when the Los Angeles Galaxy visits the New York Red Bulls.

“I’m sure there will be some negative reaction from some fans,” Gulati said in an interview in Johannesburg where he was traveling with the U.S. national team for the Confederations Cup. “That’s inevitable, but in the end he’s a good player, a soccer icon and I think he’ll help his team and the league. But are there going to be some people that are upset? Sure.”

Beckham, 34, signed a five-year contract with the Galaxy in January 2007 that’s worth $5.5 million a year. He initially planned to play in Europe only during the MLS offseason after saying he needed to stay in shape to remain in contention for a place in the England national team.

In March, it was announced the Galaxy and Milan had struck a “timeshare” deal for the former two-time World Player of the Year runnerup.

That angered many U.S. fans and the Galaxy announced a rollback of 10 percent on average on ticket prices and refunds for fans who have already purchased individual and season tickets. Los Angeles is averaging 19,128 fans per home game so far this season without Beckham, about 7,000 fewer than last year.

Permanent Transfer

The Guardian newspaper reported on June 12 that Beckham, the highest profile player to participate in MLS, will look for a permanent transfer away from the U.S. in December. Beckham’s contract has a get-out clause that can be activated in November.

“None of it surprised me,” Gulati said. “The fact he’s coming back certainly doesn’t surprise me because that was the original plan. Hopefully he can help continue to generate interest in the game.”

Landon Donovan, Beckham’s Galaxy teammate, also spent part of the offseason on loan at Germany’s Bayern Munich. He returned to Los Angeles in March for the start of the MLS campaign.

“He’s been very important for the last couple of years and he’s been a massive figure for us and he’s helped our league grow a lot,” Donovan, the U.S. national team’s all-time leading scorer, said in an interview. “Let’s see how long he stays.”

Beckham’s presence has had a “clear impact” on soccer in the U.S., lifting crowds and television ratings, the Galaxy said when it announced its partnership deal with Milan.

The Galaxy’s average home attendance jumped 24.9 percent last season compared with 2006, its last without Beckham, the team said, while overall league attendance rose by 6.9 percent. Average ratings on broadcaster ESPN increased by 23 percent in games he participated in, the team added.

To contact the reporter on this story: Tariq Panja in Johannesburg via the London newsroom on +44- tpanja@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: June 30, 2009 10:15 EDT