In the early stages of his time at AC Milan, Kyle Walker has made a favourable impression, and the Italian media are particularly pleased with one aspect of his character that he displayed in his most recent appearance for the club.
During the January transfer window, the 34-year-old player had the opportunity to spend the remainder of the season away from Manchester City by moving on loan to Milan.
Walker had been a member of City since 2017, when he moved from Tottenham Hotspur to the Etihad club in a deal worth £50 million. During his time with City, he had made 319 appearances and scored six goals total.
Walker became an integral part of City’s modern-day success during that period of time, during which Pep Guardiola was the manager, and the club won multiple trophies.
This includes winning six Premier League titles, the Champions League, two FA Cups, four League Cups, the UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup. Additionally, they have won the Champions League.
Walker’s contract with City is set to expire in the middle of 2026; however, there is a distinct possibility that the right-back’s loan deal could be converted into a permanent deal this summer due to an option that has been inserted into the deal. This is because Walker had requested that Guardiola leave the club in January.
Walker has also been a key player for nearly a decade, having been a part of the squads that finished as runners-up at both the Euro 2020 and Euro 2024 tournaments. He has served as a member of the England national team for 93 times.
Walker has now participated in three matches for Milan, two of which were played in Serie A. His first game for Milan was a 1-1 draw against Internazionale, who are Milan’s rivals living across the city.
And in his second appearance in Serie A, Walker was a member of the Milan team that defeated Empoli 2-0 away from home. The Italian publication La Gazzetta dello Sport singled out one particular moment from the defender that was particularly impressive.
Walker provided instructions to Yunus Musah, an American international player, for approximately fifteen seconds at one point. During this time, the loanee from Manchester City explained the movements that Musah should make on the pitch, gesturing with his body and pointing in different directions. Walker also spoke to Musah on multiple occasions to ensure that the messages were understood. Musah is 24 years old.
Walker has been praised as a “leader” by the Italian publication, which also included comments that the defender made to the broadcaster DAZN. These comments demonstrate how strongly he feels about this matter.
Walker stated, “I know that my leadership is significant.” On Manchester City, I served as the team’s captain.
“I hope that the younger ones see me as a leader, I try to be an example for everyone.”
It is also stated in the article that Walker is one of the most vocal characters in the Milan squad, along with Mike Maignan, Youssouf Fofana, and Fikayo Tomori being included in this category.
