Pep Guardiola has revealed that Kyle Walker has requested to depart Manchester City.
The England defender was not noted of the squad for the 8-0 win over League Two aspect Salford City within the FA Cup on Saturday.
Asked after the sport concerning the cause behind Walker’s omission, Guardiola defined that Walker requested City director of soccer Txiki Begiristain on Thursday to be allowed to maneuver to “one other nation” within the January window.
“It’s not straightforward for me to say as a result of I ought to inform him, however he isn’t right here, so two days in the past Kyle requested to discover the choices to play overseas on the finish of his profession,” Guardiola advised a information convention.
“He’s been our right-back, giving us one thing we did not have, however now in his thoughts he want to discover to go to a different nation to play his final years for a lot of causes. For that cause, I desire to play different gamers whose thoughts is right here. He went to Txiki. He requested to discover, it doesn’t suggest it should occur since you by no means know the scenario.”
Walker got here near leaving the Etihad in 2023 when Bayern Munich provided him a two-year contract. He was satisfied to remain after holding a non-public dinner with Guardiola and later signed a brand new three-year deal and was made membership captain.
Interest from Saudi Arabia final summer season got here to nothing, however after a poor begin to the season with City, the 34-year-old, who arrived from Tottenham in 2017, has misplaced his place as an everyday starter.
“He requested [to leave] two years in the past after the treble,” Guardiola mentioned. “Bayern needed him however the provide was not adequate and the membership [told] him how necessary he’s. We can’t perceive the success we had these years with out Kyle. It’s unattainable.
“I respect so much as a result of I’m greater than grateful since he has been [here] a few years for us. His first season right here, we began to win, win, win , win, win.
“He’s been necessary for the nationwide staff and necessary for our staff however he mentioned that ‘I wish to discover, my thoughts and my coronary heart and I wish to discover it’. I do not know what is going on to occur.”
