Kyle Walker has revealed why he chose AC Milan after joining the club on loan from Manchester City.
Walker’ move from the Premier League champions was confirmed on Friday night, with the defender penning a heartfelt social media message to the club, their fans, and his family and wife, Annie Kilner.
The 34-year-old is set to start the new chapter of his life alongside Kilner and their four children after the couple seemingly patched up their relationship having been on the verge of divorce.
His private life was turned upside down in December 2023 when it was revealed that he had fathered a secret daughter with reality star Lauryn Goodman in 2022. The pair also had a son in 2020. Childhood sweetheart Kilner, who started dating Kyle when she was 16, was pregnant with their fourth child at the time.
She had been planning on divorcing him but the couple put on a united front this Christmas at the family home with their four children, Roman, 13, Riaan, eight, six-year-old Reign and baby Rezon.
Now, they are ready to start their new chapter in Italy, with Walker also taking shirt number 32 – the number world star Beckham wore when he played for the club between 2009 and 2010.
Kyle Walker has taken David Beckham’s old shirt number at AC Milan after joining Italian side
Walker’s move to Milan was confirmed on Friday, with him joining under the end of the season
He has revealed that former England – and new AC Milan – team-mate Tammy Abraham (second left) convinced him to join
Walker’s wife, Annie Kilner (pictured with three of their children Roman, 12, Riaan, eight, and Reign, six, in December 2023) has joined him in Milan with Walker fighting for his marriage
Speaking to the Italian media after penning his contract, Walker also revealed why he picked Milan to join amid reports of interest from other clubs – calling on an old friend for assistance.
‘Tammy (Abraham) told me I should come,’ he said. ‘He helped me make a decision.
‘The Milan fans here are incredible, hearing them sing, it will be emotional. I chose number 32 for David Beckham.’
Abraham has played for Milan since the start of the season, joining the club on loan from Roma.
He also has 11 appearances for England, playing alongside Walker, with his last coming in 2022.
He is is one of several English players in the Milan set up, alongside Fikayo Tomori, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and now Walker.
Beckham, meanwhile, made 33 appearances for Milan, scoring twice, when he joined the club twice on loan from LA Galaxy.
He also played for Manchester United, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain in his career.
Beckham played for Milan on two occasions on loan, and Walker revealed he took the number because of the former England captain
Kilner served Kyle with divorce papers in October and kicked him out of the marital home after discovering he had a second child with Lauryn Goodman
Along with his four children with Kilner, Walker also has two children with Goodman
Having played for City for nearly eight years, meanwhile, Walker has struggled for form this season, coinciding with issues in his wider private life which been played out in the public domain as he battles to save his marriage.
In his 253-word social media message after leaving City, he wrote: ‘To Annie, our children and all my family who have been there and supported me on this journey thank you.’
Childhood sweetheart Kilner, who started dating Kyle when she was 16, was pregnant with their fourth child at the time news broke of Walker’s other children.
She had been planning on divorcing him but the couple put on a united front this Christmas at the family home with their four children, Roman, 13, Riaan, eight, six-year-old Reign and baby Rezon.
During his time at the Etihad, Walker lifted 17 trophies, including winning six Premier League titles.
Milan are paying all of Walker’s sizeable wages through the duration of the loan. Matheus Nunes has been filling in as City’s right back in recent weeks.
Walker’s City contract expires in 2026, but it appears inevitable that he will depart permanently in the summer after making his desire to end his career abroad clear.
