Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola has revealed that captain Kyle Walker has asked to leave the club.

Walker, 34, was not named in City’s squad for Saturday’s 8-0 FA Cup win over Salford.

After the game, Guardiola said: “Two days ago Kyle asked to explore the possibilities of playing abroad at the end of his career.”

“In his (Walker’s) mind, he would like to explore it, go to another country, play the last few years (somewhere else) for a lot of reasons.

“For this reason, I prefer to play against other players whose minds are here.”

Walker has helped City win 17 trophies, including six Premier League titles and the Champions League, since joining the club from Tottenham in a £50million deal in 2017.

He was close to joining Bayern Munich following City’s treble in 2023, but signed a contract extension to stay at the club until 2026.

Guardiola said: “Without Kyle we cannot understand the success we have had in these years. That’s impossible.”

“He came to us eight years ago and we are starting to win, win, win, win and he was important for the national team and of course for our team.”

“But he said he wanted to explore and explore in his head and in his heart. Honestly? I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

The England international’s minutes have been reduced this season, he has started just nine Premier League games and has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia.

Analysis: Does City Walker even need it anymore?

Lewis Jones from Sky Sports:

A split between Walker and Manchester City makes perfect sense for both sides.

Walker may have asked to leave the club, but there will not be much resistance from the club’s decision-makers as the England international’s powers have significantly waned this season.

A player who has built his career on being nearly unbeatable in one-on-one duels is now an easy target for opposing wide players.

Even Timo Werner, who is suffering from form and confidence problems at Tottenham, showed Walker a neat pair of heels and set up Spurs’ fourth goal in City’s humbling defeat earlier this season.

It led Sky Sports’ Gary Neville said: “It’s not something you see often but we’ve seen it a few times in the last few weeks. Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe, he has mastered them all, Walker, but he has problems.”

Walker’s mistakes aren’t just weird either, they also bring catalog vibes. As the statistics with and without show, his presence has become more of a hindrance than a help for Guardiola.

Ake: Walker was a great player for City

Nathan Ake said Walker would be a big loss for Manchester City He should leave the club this month.

Centre-back Ake said Walker, who has been linked with AC Milan, will be missed “massively”.

“He’s been a big help to us over the years, including this year – a big character in the squad,” said Ake. “He deserves a lot of praise for all the years he has been a top player for this club.

“He’s a good guy too, I can get along with him very well. We’ll see what happens, but there’s no doubt he’s been a great player for us.”

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