Shock Move Incoming? England Star Linked with Surprise Premier League Switch

In a transfer move few saw coming, Kyle Walker has reportedly agreed to join Everton on a one-year deal, which would officially bring an end to his colourful career at Manchester City.

Since Walker returned from a six-month overseas loan at AC Milan, he has reportedly been in talks with the Toffees. Whether it will be a permanent move or a short-term loan remains to be seen, as he has one more year of his Etihad contract.

It marks a dramatic change in direction for Walker, who, this time a year ago, was celebrating City's unprecedented fourth Premier League title in a row as club captain. But after falling out of Pep Guardiola’s plans and being left out of the Club World Cup squad, the 35-year-old's departure was inevitable. He won 17 honours with City, including six Premier League titles and the Champions League, but he is still hungry for more regular minutes, and has an eye on reaching 100 England caps.

Now, under the management of David Moyes, Walker views Goodison Park as the right place to extend his career at the top level, and stay firmly in the international conversation ahead of next summer.

🚨🔵 David Moyes approves Kyle Walker as ideal target for Everton with talks underway for the right back.#EFC in contact to anticipate Fenerbahçe and more clubs. pic.twitter.com/z5mbSnhiHv

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 17, 2025

Why Everton Want The Vet

The move makes plenty of sense from an Everton perspective. With financial constraints and a host of expiring contracts this summer - including Ashley Young’s - the need for experience at right-back is urgent. Walker, still blessed with blistering pace and Premier League pedigree, is a clear upgrade on Young and can share responsibilities with Seamus Coleman, should the Irishman sign a new deal.

Additionally, Walker’s presence will bring leadership and authority to a dressing room that has been through a turbulent few years. His continued involvement with England, even amid reduced minutes last season, highlights the level he’s still capable of playing at. For Moyes, Walker is a low-risk, high-reward option. He is someone who can mentor the likes of Jarrad Branthwaite and build a successful partnership with Jordan Pickford - both with whom he shares an England dressing room.

There’s also a sense of destiny to the move. Walker himself admitted on his podcast that he nearly joined Everton in 2009 before opting for Tottenham.

“I was close to signing for Everton before I signed for Tottenham. Just to let you know."

“I went down to Devon (where Spurs were training), and I was like, OK, they like me more - so I signed for Tottenham,” he said.

While a young Kyle Walker may have been out of favour with Everton 16 years ago, it seems as though a full-circle moment is about to materialise for the right-back.

🤔Kyle Walker to Everton…

Yes OR No 👇 pic.twitter.com/2UGaRPUVpR

— Everton FC News 💙 (@NilSatisNews) June 16, 2025

A Season to Forget

While the move brings promise, Walker arrives off the back of arguably the most challenging season of his career. He played just 15 of 22 Premier League games for City before departing in January, completing 90 minutes only eight times. Despite captaining the side on nine occasions, City lost five of those matches, including a humbling 4-0 defeat to a Tottenham team that would ultimately finish 17th, a match wherein Walker was infamously beaten for pace by Timo Werner on the German's way to assisting one of the goals. In fact, last season, Walker only oversaw one Premier League win as captain, giving him a dismal 11.11% win rate when wearing the armband.

His fortunes hardly improved in Italy. Though he started brightly at Milan, injuries quickly derailed his momentum - first a hamstring strain, then a fractured elbow that required surgery. In the final weeks, he also caught the stomach flu, which saw him miss the last two league fixtures. He ended the loan with 16 appearances (11 starts), no goals or assists, and was part of a Milan side that kept only three clean sheets when he played. Italian media outlet Tuttosport ripped into Walker and his spell with the Rossoneri, bluntly stating:

“Failure has the face of Walker.”

Milan ultimately declined the chance to sign him permanently for a reported £4.2 million, supposedly due to his age and declining performance. Statistically, he failed to crack the top 20 defenders in Serie A in any major metric - including tackles, duels won, or passing in the final third.

Sweet for the Toffees

This seems like a logical move from Everton. They need to fill the gaps, and Kyle Walker remains one of the premium right-backs in the world, even if he has fallen off a tad. Everton will be looking to build on the positive end to their season, and there is no better way to do it than with a proven winner.

For Walker, it is a major decision as he looks to revamp his career. Should he rediscover his form and fitness under Moyes, he could continue on his England journey and be another key piece for The Three Lions next summer, as they look to solve their World Cup puzzle.