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Kyle Walker explained the main reason behind his shock decision to swap Manchester City for Milan in the January transfer window. During a comprehensive interview with GQ Italia via Calciomercato, Walker admitted he joined the Rossoneri to ‘rekindle his love for football.’

For me, Milan is a new challenge,” the star right-back stated. “I needed a spark, to reignite the love I have for football. Mind you, I’m not saying I had lost love for the game. But inside me, I felt the need to build a new life, to have new stimuli, new opponents to play against.

Walker had won six Premier League titles with Manchester City, including an unprecedented four in a row, before departing the Etihad Stadium for Milan last month. That makes him uniquely qualified to compare English football with Serie A.

In Italy, as it should be, the game is experienced differently compared to England, but also Spain, France, Germany,” the Milan loanee added. “Here there is great attention to defenders and the defensive phase.

A simple 1-0 victory can be fine; for them, you can start building from there. And in the end, they’re right, the three points in the standings are what a player and a team need most of all.”

Despite being 34, Walker is still one of Europe’s fastest players.

I have to thank my parents; genetics have somehow helped me develop a certain physical prowess. At my age, I continue to play at high levels, which is not at all a given,” the Milan ace said.

This article first appeared on The Cult of Calcio and was syndicated with permission.

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