**Former Manchester City captain Kyle Walker has admitted he should have stuck by his former teammates amidst a difficult run on the pitch over leaving on loan in January.**
Walker lost his place in the Manchester City starting XI in the closing months of 2024 after a series of horrific displays that saw Pep Guardiola trust Matheus Nunes on the right side of a defence that succumbed to a personnel crisis near the New Year.
The 35-year-old was made Manchester City captain in 2023 upon the departure of Ilkay Gundogan to Barcelona as Guardiola pleaded Walker to rebuff an eye-watering offer from Bayern Munich to sign a new deal at the Etihad Stadium.
Walker took the armband and led Manchester City to a fourth successive Premier League title in the following season, though his performances gradually deteriorated – albeit understandably – owing to his age in his final few seasons in Manchester.
The England international has been one of Guardiola’s best signings at the Etihad Stadium and consistently playing a focal part in Manchester City’s domestic and European success since their record-breaking 2017-18 campaign.
However, Walker surpassed his prime just after the treble-winning season and last fall, the Sheffield-born defender looked a calamitous presence in a backline of a side that appeared a shadow of their title-winning selves.
Walker lost his place in the starting XI and sought exile in Italy as he joined AC Milan on a six-month loan deal with an option to buy – midway through his second season as Manchester City captain – a decision that just could not have gone down well with the former Tottenham star’s teammates at City at the time.
In an interview with [Sky Sports](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-WB8LpcXSc) this week, Walker has looked back at his controversial decision to join AC Milan in January. “Should I have left and gone on loan to AC Milan? I was club captain – and you’re first in line when things are not going really well,” he said.
“At that time, should I have left? Looking back now, probably no. I should have stood by my (Manchester City) team-mates, next to friends and people I class as family. But for the first time, probably in my career, I was selfish and thought about myself and I wanted to play.
“I don’t see it as a bad reason but I wasn’t happy sitting on the bench and getting a game here, there. I felt I still had a point to prove 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. I don’t regret it as I always wanted to play abroad and experience that. I’m glad I did, but I probably could have done a bit better.”
Walker joined Burnley on a permanent deal in the summer after Manchester City executives – led by newly-appointed director of football Hugo Viana – told the defender he was not part of their plans for the future.