Kyle Walker has spoken out about leaving Manchester City in January
He has also revealed why he had to join AC Milan amid his family drama
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By SAM BROOKES
Published: 07:36 EDT, 3 April 2025 | Updated: 07:36 EDT, 3 April 2025
Kyle Walker has revealed he had to hold back tears when he left Manchester City in January.
Walker, 34, brought his seven-and-a-half year stay at City to an end at the start of the year as he completed a loan move to AC Milan.
His decision to move to Italy came amid family drama off the pitch, with Walker fighting for his marriage with the mother of four of his children, Annie Kilner, after also fathering two kids with his influencer ex-mistress Lauryn Goodman.
The six-time Premier League winner has now opened up on exactly how hard the call was to move on from City for a fresh challenge abroad.
Speaking on BBC Sounds' The Kyle Walker Podcast, the full back explained: 'I said to the team manager...the player liaison officer, I said that I wanted to say goodbye to the lads in the canteen before I left when I knew the deal was complete.
'And he actually texted the whole building! So, there were 150 people there and I had to say goodbye, which was a little bit nerve-wracking, and it was sad because as much as people might have this persona about me or whatever, I did speak to completely everyone in that building from the cleaners, to the cooks, to the kit men, to the physios.
Kyle Walker has spoken out about leaving Manchester City earlier this year
Walker opted to move on from City as he looked to save his marriage with Annie Kilner (top right)
Walker has been involved in family drama after fathering two kids with ex-mistress Lauryn Goodman (pictured)
'There was the lady there, Emma, that would be behind the counter and serve you food, or get your drinks and whatever, and even when I looked over at her, I wanted to cry because it was like every day I've said, "Morning" to you and given you a cuddle, and all of a sudden now I'm not going to see you anymore, and you don't think about that when the process is happening, but then when you come to say goodbye, it's hard.'
Walker had previously been linked with potential moves to Saudi Arabia and Bayern Munich, only to end up staying at City.
However, he has admitted the lure of Milan was different, and admitted Pep Guardiola did not try to convince him to hang around after he informed the City boss that he believed the time was right to move on.
'In football, I think when certain things come, or certain opportunities come, you have to take it,' Walker said.
'And for me to experience a different league, for me to experience a different culture, for me to play for a club like AC Milan... I don't think you can turn that down.
'And when you know they want you, or you want to go there, and you want to have a new challenge, I think there are certain clubs in the world that you kind of can't say no to.
'I think with him (Pep) being a top player, playing for a top club and managing these top players, [he knows] people are going to have different desires or ambitions to go and do certain things with their career, and I just think for me, it just came at the right time. It came at the right time. It was the right club.
'And I just felt, you know what, I need to go and try something different because I don't want to live after football saying I wish I'd have just explored something different and come to a club like this. I think it was the right fit for me.'
Walker insisted it was the right time for him to leave City for a new challenge in Milan
He revealed that Pep Guardiola did not try to convince him to stay at City
Walker has had an eventful start to life in Milan, having reportedly upsetting his wife when he went partying with two Serbian models last month.
The pair reunited at their home in Cheshire shortly after Walker's night of partying, and the defender was in surprisingly good spirits.
Walker has also made a big impression on the pitch, having featured in 11 matches for the Italian giants in his first two months.
Having previously held the captain's armband at City, Walker is never one to hold his tongue, and he was heard delivering a brutal message to team-mate Joao Felix as they emerged for the second half of Milan's 2-1 defeat by Napoli on Sunday.
Walker told the Portuguese star 'Pass the ball, we are not Messi!' but the message appeared to fall on deaf ears as Felix was substituted just 10 minutes later.
The 95-cap England international still has a chance of securing silverware this season, with Milan through to the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia.
They played the first leg of their last-four tie with arch-rivals Inter on Wednesday - with Walker completing the full 90 minutes - and the game finished 1-1 after Hakan Calhanoglu cancelled out Tammy Abraham's opener.