Kyle Walker Joins AC Milan on Loan from Manchester City

MILAN, Italy — Manchester City captain Kyle Walker has completed a loan move to Italian club AC Milan for the remainder of the season, the clubs announced Friday. The deal includes an option for Milan to buy the 34-year-old England defender when the loan expires this summer.

Walker, who underwent a medical on Thursday, joins fellow English players Fikayo Tomori, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and Tammy Abraham at the San Siro. He will wear the number 32 shirt and could make his debut when Milan hosts Parma in Serie A on Sunday.

In an emotional Instagram post, Walker paid tribute to Manchester City, calling his time at the club a “dream come true.” He thanked the coaching staff, teammates, and manager Pep Guardiola, with whom he won 17 trophies, including six Premier League titles and the Champions League. “Your guidance has helped shape me into the player I am today,” Walker wrote. “I’ll be forever grateful.”

Walker joined City in 2017 from Tottenham for £50 million, becoming the most expensive defender in English football history at the time. He made 319 appearances for the club, captaining the side during their historic fourth consecutive Premier League title last season. His last appearance for City came in a 4-1 win over West Ham on January 4.

Milan’s option to buy Walker in the summer is reportedly worth around £4.2 million (€5 million). The Serie A club currently sits eighth in the league and is competing in the Champions League.

Manchester City confirmed Walker’s departure in a statement, wishing him “the very best of luck for the rest of the season.” The move comes a day after City signed Egypt forward Omar Marmoush from Frankfurt for £59 million.

Walker’s departure marks the end of an era at City, where he played a pivotal role in the club’s dominance under Guardiola. His versatility, pace, and leadership made him a key figure in City’s treble-winning 2022-23 campaign.