Kyle Walker is set to leave Manchester City after agreeing a surprise deal to join Burnley, reports have revealed.
The England international was made available for transfer in January after asking to leave the club and spent the second half of last season out on loan with AC Milan, who ultimately declined to trigger a permanent purchase clause.
Walker was subsequently left out of City’s Club World Cup squad as talks over a move away from the club began. Everton were named as suitors earlier this summer, but The Athletic were the first to reveal that Burnley have struck an agreement.
City have accepted a bid worth up to £5 million ($6.8 million), while Walker’s departure will also see them save around £10 million ($13.6 million) when it comes to his salary.
Walker is now undergoing a medical ahead of what would be a reunion with Burnley manager Scott Parker, a former teammate during the pair’s shared time at Tottenham Hotspur.
While a move to join the Premier League newcomers may come as a surprise on paper, joining Burnley allows Walker to remain close to his family in Manchester, with the two cities separated by fewer than 30 miles.
City are also hoping to find a buyer for winger Jack Grealish, who has been linked with a number of Premier League teams, as they seek to balance out what has been an incredibly busy calendar year when it comes to transfers.
This summer alone, City have recruited Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki, Rayan Aït-Nouri and Marcus Bettinelli, who follow the January acquisitions of Omar Marmoush, Nico González, Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis and Juma Bah.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Kyle Walker ‘Closing in’ on Surprise Move to Premier League Rivals.