He has the face of Mr. Wolf, the one who solves problems, there’s no denying it. Maybe less elegant and more stern. But that’s a good thing, because Kyle Walker, back there on the right, if needed, even in the center, will have to solve one of the thorniest issues of this troubled Rossoneri season, writes La Gazzetta dello Sport in this morning's print edition.
Troubled is also the best way to describe that area of the pitch, which has been plagued by injuries (Alessandro Florenzi, Davide Calabria), criticized sales (Kalulu), lost captain’s armbands (Davide Calabria), underwhelming performances, and even more additional physical issues (Emerson Royal).
This is the complex situation Walker steps into, having landed at Linate yesterday at 1:30 PM on a private flight from Manchester. He leaves the blue side of the city after a lifetime: seven and a half years, 319 appearances, six goals, but above all, 18 trophies, including a Champions League, a Club World Cup, and six Premier League titles.
The transfer formula:
On paper, Walker and Milan have everything needed to hit it off immediately and continue together for a long time. Milan desperately needs to strengthen its squad with an experienced player, while Walker needs to get his rhythm back.
To put things in perspective, in 2025, Guardiola gave him just 29 minutes of playing time, all as a substitute. Another disenfranchised captain. Walker and Milan must connect and click quickly because, as Conceição reminds us, there’s no time to waste.
The Rossoneri’s defensive phase continues to leak goals, and Maignan cannot always play Superman. Yes, they need to click quickly because there are only four months to decide whether to extend the partnership.
The transfer formula is a good deal for Milan: a free loan with an option to buy set at 5 million euros. In June, the final word will rest with the Rossoneri. If all goes well, Walker is expected to sign a mandatory contract, required for loans with a purchase option, lasting until 2027, with a net salary of about €4.5 million per season. He chose the number 32 shirt, the same number Beckham wore at Milan: same nationality, slightly different characteristics.
The Schedule
"Hello, guys," Kyle said with a smile as he left Linate, heading to the La Madonnina clinic for the usual medical exams, which began just before 3 PM and ended shortly after 6 PM. At that point, given the time, his sports eligibility certification at CONI was postponed until today.
The Englishman then headed to Casa Milan, where everything was ready for the most important signature of his 2025. The official announcement is expected today, once the final bureaucratic details are resolved.
Also scheduled today is his first meeting at Milanello to greet his new teammates, while last night he was spotted dining with technical director Moncada.
Timeline for Kyle Walker's debut:
It’s almost impossible for Walker to complete all the necessary paperwork (including his residence permit) in time for Sunday’s match against Parma. He will also need to return to England to finalise some paperwork. Therefore, as he can only be registered for the Champions League after the group stage (unfortunately for Milan he won't be available for match versus Dinamo Zagreb then, he would’ve been very useful in the Maksimir Stadium cauldron), his debut is set to be a high-profile one: the derby on February 2.
For someone like him, who has played in plenty of Manchester derbies, 17, to be exact, it will be a fitting introduction. A derby that, needless to say, will bring back sweet memories for Kyle, as he won the Champions League with Manchester City in 2023, defeating Inter in the final.
