"A leader on the field and in the locker room."
This is how Kyle Walker introduced himself (and was introduced by Zlatan Ibrahimović) to the Milan world. Yesterday, the English full-back held his first press conference as a Rossoneri player.
For his debut, however, we will have to wait until Sunday’s derby against Inter. The former Manchester City player, in fact, cannot play in Zagreb as he is only eligible for the Champions League roster starting from the second phase.
Nonetheless, he is already fully focused on his new adventure: “Playing for Milan is something fantastic. It’s a great ambition for my career to try this experience. I thought it was an excellent opportunity to come here and showcase my talent.”
Walker was an unexpected opportunity for Milan
Kyle's talent has mostly been utilized on the right flank throughout his career, although Ibrahimović noted, “For us, Kyle can also play as a center-back.” Speaking about this acquisition, RedBird’s senior advisor explained, “If you’re wondering why, with Emerson Royal, Calabria, Florenzi, and even Jiménez, we decided to go for another right-back, the answer is simple: we couldn’t say no to Kyle. It was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up. A player like him is better to have on your side than not.”
In short, an unexpected market opportunity emerged when Walker decided to leave Manchester after winning 18 trophies with Guardiola’s City.
"Pep and I had a straightforward conversation, and there’s a lot of mutual respect. I don’t want to win titles in just one country. City was my family—from the gardener to the chef. I believe I was appreciated there, and I hope to do the same here. I want to learn Italian; I’m hungry and have fire inside me to win again."
The Englishman is on loan, but it’s evident that he doesn’t see his time with the Rossoneri as temporary. By June 30, Milan can exercise the option to buy him outright (for a total of €5 million), and Walker expects to stay beyond that. “The club’s history and the project Zlatan presented to me convinced me to come here. Anyone would want to play at Milan. There’s so much quality here; we just need a bit more enthusiasm and leadership. Things aren’t going well in the league, but we have the chance to qualify for the Champions League Round of 16, and just a few weeks ago, we won our first trophy, the Supercoppa. We have the players and management to bring the club back to the top.”
Kyle Walker and his new team:
Kyle has already spoken with Conceição: "He needs to improve his English, but I appreciated his welcome.” He knows his fellow English players at Milanello: "I’ve helped Tomori, Abraham, and Loftus-Cheek in the national team before.” And he admires stars Rafael and Theo Hernandez: “Rafa can be one of the best in the world; Hernández is incredibly strong going forward, and I’ll learn from him.”
Now, all that’s left is for him to contribute to the team, starting with the derby. "I’ve played against Inter before, but this will definitely be a different kind of match." Kyle can’t wait to play, as pointed out by La Gazzetta dello Sport.
