AC Milan are "confident" of landing Kyle Walker after the England defender told Manchester City he wants a move.
- Walker was dropped for FA Cup fixture
- Guardiola revealed defender has asked to leave
- Milan are preparing a bid for the right-back
WHAT HAPPENED?
Walker, who still has 18 months remaining on his City contract, was notably absent from the squad that faced Salford on Saturday. And following their emphatic 8-0 FA Cup victory, manager Pep Guardiola disclosed that Walker had approached the club’s director of football, Txiki Begiristain, requesting a move to a foreign outfit.
WHAT GUARDIOLA SAID
“It’s not easy for me to say because I should tell him but he’s not here so two days ago Kyle asked to explore the options to play abroad at the end of his career,” Guardiola said.
“He’s been our right-back, giving us something we didn’t have, but now in his mind he would like to explore to go to another country to play his last years for many reasons. For that reason, I prefer to play other players whose mind is here. He went to Txiki. He asked to explore, it doesn’t mean it’s going to happen because you never know the situation.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
According to The Telegraph, Milan have emerged as the leading contender to secure Walker’s services. The Italian giants are reportedly confident of finalizing a deal that would bring the seasoned defender to San Siro. While City have yet to receive a formal bid, Milan’s pursuit of Walker aligns with their ambition to bolster their defensive options in the January transfer window.
DID YOU KNOW?
City appears to be preparing for a future without Walker. The club recently agreed on a £33.6 million ($41m) deal with Lens for Uzbekistan defender Abdukodir Khusanov, signalling their intent to refresh their defensive lineup. Additionally, City are also in discussions for Brazilian centre-back Vitor Reis.
Rico Lewis has already stepped up as a viable right-back option for Guardiola, having been selected ahead of Walker on several occasions this season. Walker’s exit, however, would leave City with limited depth in the position, potentially prompting further activity in the transfer market.
WHAT NEXT FOR WALKER?
In addition to Milan, Walker has attracted interest from other clubs, including Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia. Reports suggest that a move to Al-Nassr could see Walker earning a lucrative £400,000 weekly salary. However, previous Saudi interest had failed to materialize and Milan’s urgency to secure Walker could accelerate negotiations with City.
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