GdS: How Walker has already established himself as a leader at Milan | OneFootball

Kyle Walker was the first of five signings to arrive for AC Milan in the winter transfer window, and he has already begun to showcase his qualities.

As La Gazzetta dello Sport write, a Martian who landed on Earth without knowing anything about football, would think that Walker has been playing for Milan for years and would have a hard time believing he has only played three games for the club.

After Davide Calabria left for Bologna and Emerson Royal suffered a long-term injury, Walker took ownership of the vacancy on the right side of the defence straight away and showed his leadership qualities immediately.

As caught by the cameras, there was a moment in the Empoli match last night in which Walker gave directions to Yunus Musah for 15 seconds. He moved sideways in small steps, then extended his arm and showed him where he has to go. Yunus nods and turns, Kyle calls him again and gives him one last tip.

This is Walker. Before taking to the field in Empoli he had told Dazn: “My leadership is important. I was the captain of Manchester City. I hope that the younger ones see me as a leader, I try to be an example for everyone.”

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He said it just as he had said it when he was introduced: a statement without arrogance, simply the will to put himself at the service of the team and to impart the knowledge from his 34 years of life but also his 18 trophies with Manchester City and his time with Pep Guardiola.

The €5m option to buy appears to be a formality right now, because with this ‘unforeseen’ arrival the club have filled a position that was precarious for some time. Last night showed the value that he brings even more: his block of Grassi’s shot probably saved a goal, and he slid over to centre-back after Fikayo Tomori’s red card.

Walker is, together with Maignan and Fofana (and, in part, Tomori), the player who speaks the most on the pitch and in the dressing room, when it comes to leading the group and giving directions. Milan have needed somebody like him.