Kyle Walker has admitted he should not have left Manchester City midway through the 2024–25 campaign to join AC Milan on loan.
After starting the season as City’s first-choice right back, Walker lost his spot in Pep Guardiola’s lineup in December as the boss made a series of brutal changes to address a shock slump in form that brought six defeats and two draws across nine Premier League games.
When it became clear he was no longer going to be a regular, Walker chose to push for an exit from the struggling Cityzens. A six-month loan deal with AC Milan was quickly signed, before this summer brought a permanent exit to Burnley.
Sitting down with Sky Sports, Walker confessed his role as City captain should have stopped him from leaving in January when the team was struggling on the pitch.
“Should I have left and gone on loan to AC Milan? I was the club captain, and you’re the first one in line when things are not going really well,” he reflected. “At that time in the season, should I have left? Looking back at it now, probably no.
“I should have stood by or next to my teammates, next to my friends and people who I class as my family. But for the first time probably in my career I was selfish and I thought about myself and I wanted to play football.
Walker: I Didn’t Think I Could Turn Down Milan
“I don’t see it as a bad reason but I wasn’t happy sitting on the bench and getting a game here, there and whenever. I felt that I still had a point to prove that I could still play at a high level. When a club like AC Milan comes, I didn’t think I could turn them down.
“When I came back in the summer I had time to reflect on it. But then I don’t regret it as I always wanted to play abroad and experience that. I’m glad I did the six months, but I probably could have done a bit better.”
Walker initially caught the eye in Milan before a combination of injuries and a slump in form saw him drop out of the starting lineup. The Serie A side declined their option to make the move permanent worth around €5 million ($6.7 million).
Burnley then paid a similar fee to bring Walker to Turf Moor this summer and he has played every minute of the team’s first seven games of the Premier League season, including a 5–1 drubbing at the hands of his former employers late last month.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Kyle Walker Admits ‘Selfish’ Regret Over Man City Exit.
