Manchester City defender Kyle Walker appears set to leave the club until at least the end of the season as he seeks to fulfil ambitions of playing abroad and repair his personal life.
34-year-old Walker has struggled this season amid failing form that has been further exposed by City's shocking run of results since the start of November.
After links with AC Milan earlier this month, city rivals Inter now look likely to secure the six-time Premier League champions on an initial loan.
The Daily Mail reports that a proposed deal with Inter is "virtually done", with the Serie A side crucially prepared to cover Walker's wages as they look to strengthen defensively.
City are considered "unlikely" to stand in the player's way if everything proves acceptable to them and "next week" is given as the expected timeframe when all of this will be completed.
Walker had been interested in joining Bayern Munich ahead of last season, the same summer as former Tottenham Hotspur teammate Harry Kane signed with the Bundesliga giants.
Whether it will become a permanent move to Inter beyond the end of the season remains to be seen Walker is under contract at City until the summer of 2026. But not only will he get to live out his dreams of playing football overseas, it may have come at the right time for his family.
Walker was reported to be on the verge of divorce from long-term partner Annie Kilner at the start of 2024, after his personal life blew up when it became apparent that he had fathered a second child with influencer Lauryn Goodman. That bombshell came out at the same time as Kilner was pregnant with their fourth child together.
Having moved out of the family home, Walker spent Christmas with his wife and their children and the Mail additionally reports that they plan to move to Italy together as a family of six. Meanwhile, Goodman is said to be exploring her own move to Dubai with the other children, seeking permission from Walker to rent out a house he owns, where she currently lives, upon relocating to the Gulf.
City boss Pep Guardiola openly confirmed after Saturday's FA Cup win over Salford City that Walker is looking at options to leave the club this month.
"Two days ago, Kyle asked to explore the options to play abroad at the end of his career," Guardiola said. "He asked two years ago after the Treble.Bayern Munich wanted him but the offer was not good enough.
"I'm convinced there is no one in our job that doesn't want to be where they are, [and] can perform. He's asking to explore [the options] so it may not happen, we don't know, you never know. Explore the situation and I respect it a lot. I am more than grateful for what he has done for many years for us."
Walker joined City from Tottenham in the summer of 2017 and has made 319 appearances.
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