Kyle Walker is finally leaving Manchester City, and this time, doing so on a permanent deal, not a loan move. According to reports via Fabrizio Romano and David Ornstein, the world’s top two transfer gurus, Walker is heading to Burnley FC on a deal worth up to £5m. And yes, that sounds kind of funny to say, “up to” 5 million. Also, you might be asking yourself, doesn’t that seem a bit cheap- especially for a player of Walker’s reputation and achievement?
Well, let’s remember that first off, he’s been trying to leave the club for a long time, and City seemed perfectly okay with letting him move on.
🚨🟣 Burnley are on the verge of signing Kyle Walker on permanent deal from Man City.
Agreement at final stages, as reported by @David_Ornstein with clubs completing deal worth up to £5m potential package. pic.twitter.com/fBXNXE7BVP
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 4, 2025
So that’s going to diminish your market value right there! Not to mention he’s 35, and once players reach that age (and older) well, now you’re talking seven figure transfer fees, not eight. Additionally, the AC Milan loan deal last season did not lead to a permanent switch, even though the deal included that option.
So once people saw Milan took a pass, well, interest diminished further.
And that’s how we ended up here. Hopefully, for the sake of Kyle Walker, this transfer turns his career back on an upward trajectory, as it enters its final years.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter