E-Paper
‘Needed a real family club’: Walker justifies Burnley transfer, says ‘After spending many years at Man City, I wanted…’
During his time with Manchester City, Kyle Walker won six Premier League titles and also the Champions League.
In an action-packed summer transfer window, Kyle Walker ended his eight-year stint at Manchester City by moving to Burnley recently, in a deal reported to be worth 5 million pounds. Walker joins a team which has just been promoted to the Premier League and coached by former Tottenham and England midfielder Scott Parker. The pair also played together for both Spurs and England.
During his time with City, Walker won six Premier League titles and also the Champions League. But last season, he lost his spot in the team, and ended up going to AC Milan on loan.
Also Read: Lionel Messi compared to ‘Michael Jordan, Rafael Nadal’ as Argentine continues sensational MLS form
Speaking exclusively to JioHotstar, Walker opened up on joining a new team. “It’s great. Being part of this project and seeing what Burnley have achieved over the last couple of seasons has been fantastic to watch from the outside. I already know some faces at the club, and I’m excited to get started this season,” he said.
“At this point in my career, I felt I needed something different — a real family club. After spending many years at a great club and a spell overseas, I wanted a place with that special atmosphere. My son trains at the Burnley training ground, and you can really sense the aura there and see the vision the owners have for the club. I wanted to be part of that success and the journey Burnley are on,” he further added.
Meanwhile, he also had a message for Burnley supporters. He said, “Hopefully, the fans have seen me over the years and watched how I play. I’ve played at Turf Moor for various clubs, and I know when the crowd gets behind you, it becomes a really tough, hostile place to visit. We need to make it a fortress. Winning your home games is so important—no one likes coming here, I can assure you of that, it’s never a walkover. As they always have, I know the Burnley supporters will get behind the lads this season, and that support is needed now more than ever. For everything this club has been through in the last few years, it deserves to stay in the Premier League.”
