England right-back Kyle Walker has officially joined AC Milan on loan from Manchester City for the remainder of the season, with an option for a permanent transfer in the summer, the clubs confirmed on Friday.
The 34-year-old defender leaves City following a challenging season, during which he struggled for regular game time.
Walker, who had not started a match since City’s defeat to Manchester United on December 15, endured a tough campaign as the club’s captain.
Walker’s move marks the end of a highly successful six-year stint with Manchester City, where he arrived from Tottenham in 2017.
During his time at the Etihad, he played a pivotal role in the team’s dominance under Pep Guardiola, winning six Premier League titles and lifting the coveted Champions League trophy in 2023.
“Manchester City… where do I start? Signing for this incredible club in 2017 was a dream come true,” Walker wrote on social media.
“Seven years later, winning 17 trophies, including the Champions League and the famous treble is something I could only have dreamt as a child.”
Milan are a distant eighth in Serie A but are on course for automatic qualification for the Champions League last 16 after five straight wins in Europe.
In a separate social media post, Walker — who will be reunited with other England internationals Fikayo Tomori, Tammy Abraham and Ruben Loftus-Cheek at the San Siro — spoke of his excitement in joining the Italian giants.
“I’m delighted and proud to sign for AC Milan!” he said. “A club with such rich history, one I’ve followed since I was a kid. It’s an honour to join and I can’t wait to pull on the Rossoneri shirt and get started.
He added: “A huge thank you to everyone who has supported me along the way, both on and off the pitch. See you soon! Forza Milan.”
His signing helps compensate for the loss of Emerson Royal, who picked up an injury midweek that could rule out the Brazilian right-back for up to two months.
Walker’s exit from the Etihad Stadium comes as part of a City rebuild, with Guardiola’s side currently 12 points adrift of Premier League leaders Liverpool following an unprecedented run of four successive English titles.
Egypt forward Omar Marmoush joined City from Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday on a four-and-a-half-year contract for an initial fee of £59 million ($72.6 million) with add-ons worth a potential £4 million.
He is City’s third signing of the January transfer window following the arrivals of defenders Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis.
