While Kyle Walker and wife Annie Kilner may have put on a united display at the Euros this summer, behind the scenes it was a very different story, with the footballer living separately from his family following yet another cheating scandal.
But after living in a plush apartment block near to their Cheshire mansion, Kyle, 34, appears to have returned to the lavish home he and Annie, 32, have shared with their four sons, Roman, 11, Riaan, seven, Reign, five, and Rezon, five months.
And, as the drama between Kyle and ex Lauryn Goodman rumbles on, insiders tell us that Annie feels like they need to take the next step in repairing their fractured relationship and that may involve relocating from their existing family home, as after the England player fathered two children with Lauryn, Annie believes the only way to save their relationship is to move on and make a fresh start.
A source tells heat, "Kyle and Annie have been trying to keep their relationship status out of the public eye, but over the weekend Kyle made it very clear that he was back at the family home by posting videos of him having his hair cut in the kitchen and posing outside it with a new electric charger for his car."
The source continues, "Annie took some convincing, but she decided that if they are going to try to make a go of things, then he needs to come back home to see how it works. Then, she will figure out their future and what that looks like. Kyle is thrilled to be back but knows he’s still got a lot of making up to do."
Kyle’s move home comes months after he and Annie found their relationship back under the spotlight as it was revealed that the England player had fathered a second child with influencer Lauryn, 33, all while married to Annie.
Ahead of her appearance on Celebs Go Dating, Lauryn was at the centre of a legal dispute with Kyle over child support payments for their two young children, Kairo, four, and Kinara, one.
While Lauryn lost the battle, she has continued to speak out on social media. And, despite living in a lavish home paid for by Kyle, she claimed that her kids would ‘never have half’ what Kyle and Annie’s children had. Things have got so intense reports have claimed Kyle is considering taking further legal action against Lauryn regarding her posts about Annie and the kids.
All the attention has put a lot of pressure on Annie, who has reportedly been stressing about Lauryn knowing where she lives after Kyle and Annie’s neighbour alleged that the influencer had asked her to spy on the family.
As a result, Annie is said to have made it clear that she eventually wants Kyle to find somewhere new for her and the kids in order to get a fresh start and be able to move on properly. In the meantime, insiders say Annie has allowed Kyle to come back home for the sake of their children.
"Annie knows that this may no longer be their forever home but the boys were desperate for their dad to come home," the source says, adding that Annie has been struggling to look after the four children on her own and appreciates the help Kyle can provide as a co-parent.
"They’re not rushing anything and there is still the option of Kyle’s Manchester apartment, but with the boys going back to school, Annie is keen to get them all in a stable routine," the insider continues.
"Kyle has also started speaking about the boys more and their home life, which he was too scared to do before and he’s making it clear where he sees his future. Nothing is set in stone but it’s a step in the right direction. Although Annie is still very hurt and angry by everything that has gone on, her priority is for her boys to have a happy home life."