Kyle Walker will land at Linate aurport today at 12:30 PM CET, writes La Gazzetta dello Sport in this morning's print edition. He will undergo medical tests at Milan in the afternoon and sign a contract (one year plus an option for two more) that will tie him to the Rossoneri club.
The deal is confirmed as a free loan with an option to buy set at 5 million euros at the end of the season. The negotiations for Santiago Gimenez are less advanced but remain active: Milan and Feyenoord are in talks, and Rafaela Pimenta, the Mexican striker's agent, along with his father Christian, has informed the Dutch management of their client's desire to leave Rotterdam in January rather than during the summer transfer window.
"My last game with Feyenoord? We'll see what happens; these are crucial weeks. I leave everything in God's hands," the striker told Calientetvmx.
Gimenez, who scored a brace against Bayern Munich in the Champions League last night, is Milan's first-choice option to strengthen the attack.
If acquiring him proves impossible, the club may attempt a loan deal with Manchester United for Højlund (or Zirkzee) or pursue Joao Felix, who has different characteristics but appeals to Conceição for his tactical versatility.
Kyle Walker and Milan's Emerson Royal
The City captain has taken a pay cut from the 3 million euros owed to him by the Manchester club, with whom he has won an impressive 17 trophies, to join the Rossoneri. Walker will not be available on Sunday against Parma (he needs to obtain a residence permit) or Wednesday in Zagreb (he will be added to the roster at the start of the Champions League knockout phase).
It remains to be seen whether he will train with his teammates on Friday and Saturday before returning to England to secure the necessary documents or if he will depart immediately. Walker has already spoken with Conceição, and the two share mutual respect.
He will become Milan's starting right-back. Emerson Royal is expected to make room for him on the UEFA list. The Brazilian, who was injured against Girona, is not keen on transferring to Galatasaray and will discuss his future with his agents today, who are also keeping options with Fulham and Everton open. Emerson would prefer to stay in the team.
The striker issue at Milan
Last night, Gimenez, a Mexican with an Italian passport, was the star of the match against Bayern. He continues to perform professionally but has already given the green light for a move to the Rossoneri. The club management, along with his entourage, will try to meet his desire.
Feyenoord has set a valuation of 40 million euros, and following his standout Champions League performance and 15 goals this season (despite an injury), they are unwilling to offer discounts.
Milan will attempt to include a player in the deal, though this is a challenging prospect. Selling a player would ease the workload for Ibrahimović, Furlani, and Moncada, but Fenerbahçe’s pivot to Skriniar instead of Pavlović—who had reservations about moving to Turkey—was not helpful. Stuttgart and Leicester have also inquired about the Serbian.
What about Milan's Noah Okafor?
The Swiss striker was back on the bench yesterday after Leipzig decided against signing him due to alleged medical concerns. In reality, Okafor is fit and just needs to regain his best form. He remains on the market.
