David Beckham has admitted any time spent away from his family 'kills' him ahead of his return to AC Milan for a six-month loan spell.

The England midfielder will move back to Italy in January and be with Milan until June meaning time spent with wife Victoria and his children will be scarce which he says is hard to handle.

"The biggest thing for me is I go away and leave my family for six months. They come over and see me for a week every eight weeks," he said.

"Anyone who knows me knows how I feel about my children, about my wife and my family and I hate being away from them. Being away from my family and my children kills me."

Beckham insists the only reason he is returning to Milan is to give himself every chance of being selected for England's World Cup squad.

"It's the only reason I am choosing to be away from my family for six months," he added.

"Being in the World Cup squad is not guaranteed, even if I go to Milan it is not guaranteed, but I need to do everything possible to give myself a chance.

"It's always a roller-coaster in my career ... and it is going to be like that for the next six to eight months but I am looking forward to it."