MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 02: Kyle Walker of AC Milan looks on during the Serie A match between AC Milan and FC Internazionale at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on February 02, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
England defender Kyle Walker has admitted he ‘probably’ shouldn’t have joined Milan on loan for the second half of the 2024-25 season, but insists that he has ‘no regrets’ about his temporary move to San Siro: ‘I always wanted to play abroad, I’m glad I did the six months’.
Walker, now with Burnley in the Premier League, left Manchester City midway through the 2024-25 campaign to join Milan on loan with an option to buy during the winter transfer window.
The 2024-25 campaign was not a season that Milan, nor Walker, will look back on with much fondness.
Though Walker had been the captain of Manchester City, he had fallen out of favour under Pep Guardiola, and was allowed to leave the club midway through the campaign. Milan, meanwhile, had an eighth place finish in Serie A that season, and missed out on qualification to any UEFA competition as a result.
What Walker said about Milan loan move
Walker had been expected to be a significant improvement on Emerson Royal at right-back for Milan, but his performances did not convince Milan into activating their buy option, and he was allowed to return to the UK over the summer.
“Should I have left? Looking back at it now, probably no, I should have stuck next to my teammates, next to my friends and people I class as my family,” Walker admitted in a recent interview with Sky Sports.
“But, for the first time probably in my career, I was selfish,” he continued. “I thought about myself and I wanted to play football. I don’t see it as a bad reason, but I wasn’t happy sitting on the bench and getting a game here or there whenever I could.
“I felt that I still had a point to prove, I felt that I could still play football at a high level and when a club like AC Milan comes, I didn’t think I could turn it down knowing that I was on the bench.”
Despite the fact that his Milan move did not go entirely to plan, Walker insists that he has no regrets. He also feels that Milan’s season, collectively, was one to forget and move on from.
“But again, I don’t regret it because I’ve always wanted to play abroad and I’ve always wanted to experience playing abroad. I’ve experienced it, but I’m glad that I did the six months.
“I probably could have done a little bit better as well, but I think everyone associated with the club would probably hold their hands up and say ‘that was a season to just put behind us’ and they’ve set off pretty well. I’ve still got friends there and still look out for their results.”
🗣️ “Looking back I shouldn’t have left, but for the first time in my career I was selfish”
Kyle Walker says he was “selfish” to leave Man City last season and join AC Milan on loan. pic.twitter.com/qLYdgGK42F
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) October 11, 2025
