Manchester City defender undergoes successful surgery on fractured right elbow | OneFootball

AC Milan have confirmed that Manchester City’s Kyle Walker – on loan in Italy until the end of the season – has undertaken surgery on a fractured right elbow.

The veteran full-back is completing the ongoing season in Italian football having sought out an exit alongside Manchester City officials during the most-recent January transfer window, bringing an end to an illustrious spell at the Etihad Stadium.

While the agreement is a temporary deal, as further emphasised by Walker himself in a recent podcast appearance, there is an expectation for the two clubs to work towards a permanent contract in the summer.

The Italian giants are understood to be holding a buy-option clause in the loan deal shaken upon by the two clubs in January, enabling them to purchase the 34-year-old in the summer for a fee in the region of €5 million.

However, much of AC Milan’s desire to sign Kyle Walker permanently in the summer will ride on the player’s ability to stay fit and perform at the necessary standards, with the latest development complicating such requirements.

Confirming a fresh injury blow and expected absence of Kyle Walker in an official club statement on Tuesday night, the Italian giants have stated, “AC Milan can confirm that Kyle Walker sustained a fracture in his right elbow today.”

The release on the club’s website continued, “To ensure better healing and optimise recovery time, the player underwent surgery in Milan to repair the olecranon through osteosynthesis.

“The operation went perfectly to plan. Kyle will begin rehabilitation immediately.”

Manchester City’s players have spoken out on various occasions of their shock at Kyle Walker’s exit from the club during the winter transfer window, with newly-appointed vice-captain Ruben Dias pointed out how the veteran full-back was a player the squad relied on.

“He was a player we all relied on. He’s not here now so time for another one to step up and we’ve got enough names that are able to step up,” Dias explained during a press conference appearance back in February.

It remains to be seen whether Manchester City will look to directly replace Kyle Walker with a new right-back during the summer transfer window, with Txiki Begiristain to be replaced by Hugo Viana in the role of sporting director over the closed-season months.