Kyle Walker was almost reduced to tears during ‘sad’ Man City exit but ‘couldn’t say no’ to AC Milan amid family drama
KYLE WALKER admits he was almost in tears after his “sad” Manchester City exit.
But the England star insists he “could not say no” to AC Milan amid his family drama back home.
Walker completed a stunning loan move to the Italian side in January after seven and a half years at City.
The 34-year-old won six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and a Champions League in 319 games under Pep Guardiola.
And Walker has since gone on to star 11 times for new side Milan, including yesterday’s 1-1 derby draw with Inter in the Coppa Italia semis.
The right-back completed his San Siro switch amid family drama involving estranged wife Annie Kilner and former mistress Lauryn Goodman.
He shares four children with Annie, while having also fathered two more with Lauryn.
And Walker, who was recently seen barking orders at teammate Joao Felix, has now revealed that he came close to crying while saying his goodbyes to City staff and players.
He told BBC Sounds’ The Kyle Walker Podcast: “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.
“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.
“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 also lifted the lid on his reasons for moving to Milan.
He added: “In football, I think when certain things come, or certain opportunities come, you have to take it.
“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.”