Marcus Rashford & Kyle Walker learn transfer fate as AC Milan make final choice

AC Milan have snubbed Marcus Rashford to instead bring in Kyle Walker on a 12-month loan deal.

Walker requested a transfer from Manchester City on the eve of their FA Cup third round win over Salford City. The right-back has endured a difficult campaign as City's title defence fell flat on its face.

Rashford is someone who can likely sympathise with his England team-mate, having experienced an awful two years. The attacker also signaled his desire to leave Manchester United at the start of the month.

Milan had emerged as leading contenders for both of the struggling Three Lions. But Serie A rules state that clubs can only sign one British player a year, meaning they would have to choose.

According to various reports, the man they have picked is Walker, who will arrive on a 12-month loan. The 34-year-old is expected to travel to Italy in the coming days before being unveiled by his new club.

Milan will pick up the majority of Walker's £150,000 per week wage as part of the deal. Sérgio Conceição's side currently sit eighth in the Italian top-flight, with the Portuguese boss having recently replaced Paulo Foncesca.

Walker is said to be keen to get to Italy 'as soon as possible' to wrap up the deal. That is expected to be a formality, with the right-back already being described as a 'Milan player'.

The move for Walker ends Milan's interest in Rashford, at least until the summer transfer window. The attacker was at first banished by Ruben Amorim immediately following his comments, though returned as an unused sub against Brighton.

But he was again left out of the defeat to Brighton, with Amorim refusing to go into details. He said: "In this moment, Rashford is not here and, in the last games that we lost, Rashford was not here.

"I don't want to put this moment on Rashford. Rashford is out of this moment because he's not playing. No matter what, I'm not going to put in a player I don't believe is best for the team."

Meanwhile City boss Pep Guardiola has admitted that Walker's transfer request had all but ended his time at the club. He said: "Kyle asked to explore the option to play abroad. I prefer to play players whose mind is here.

"We cannot understand the success that the club had these years without Kyle. It is impossible. But now in his mind, for many reasons, he would like to explore if he can go to another country to play his last years."