The opportunity to keep Burnley in the Premier League and reunite with Scott Parker was the only option that floated Kyle Walker’s boat.
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Former Burnley defender signs on for another year with Premier League rivals](https://www.burnleyexpress.net/sport/football/former-burnley-defender-signs-on-for-another-year-with-premier-league-rivals-5210187 "Former Burnley defender signs on for another year with Premier League rivals")
That’s according to the man himself after completing a bombshell move to Turf Moor, penning a two-year deal.
Walker, capped 96 times by England, won it all during his eight years with City, lifting the Premier League on six occasions as well as the FA Cup, League Cup and of course the Champions League during the 2022/23 treble-winning campaign.
But now, at a different stage of his career, Walker is excited to get stuck into a completely different challenge at Turf Moor.
“It’s been great to watch from the outside looking in and knowing some faces at the club already. I’m excited to start the season already,” Walker told the club’s YouTube channel.
“At this stage of my career, being at a great club that I’ve been at for a number of years…I went overseas [on loan to AC Milan] and tried that out, but I just felt that I needed something that was a family club.
Parker and Walker in action for Tottenham against former-Burnley coach Craig Bellamy in 2012 (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)placeholder image
Parker and Walker in action for Tottenham against former-Burnley coach Craig Bellamy in 2012 (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
“I’ve been around the place and my son is there training at the training ground and you can feel the aura around there and what the owners are trying to do and I wanted to be a part of that. I want to be a part of the success.”
The influence of Clarets boss Parker also can’t be understated, given the pair played together for both Tottenham and England.
“He’s been massive,” Walker added. “I feel the type of football he’s played, not just at Burnley but at Fulham as well, I was a big admirer of him.
“But first and foremost, it’s about him as a person. I had the pleasure of sharing a dressing room with him, not just at Tottenham but with England as well, and when someone like that calls your phone and asks you to come and play for his team, I must have done something right in the dressing room and on the pitch.
“I was just thankful he could give me the opportunity and everyone involved at the football club could too.”
For a number of years now Walker has become accustomed to winning games and competing for every trophy going, but now it will be a different story with Burnley.
Despite the challenge of keeping the Clarets in the Premier League, the defender simply can’t wait to get started.
“With Burnley it’s a different mindset now, but it’s one I’m really excited about,” he said.
“If you had asked me two years ago:’would this have been possible?’, I’d probably have said: ‘no, definitely not’. But football is strange.
“There were other clubs wanting to sign me but it didn’t float my boat as they say. I felt this challenge would be much greater than going elsewhere and doing other things.”
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