Walker opted to reunite with former Spurs teammate and current Burnley manager Scott Parker at Turf Moor
Kyle Walker has delivered an emotional farewell message to Manchester City supporters following the end of his seven-and-a-half-year spell at the club.
The 35-year-old defender completed a permanent move to Burnley last week, signing a two-year contract with the newly promoted side.
Walker’s departure brings to a close a decorated stint at the Etihad, where he made 319 appearances and played a key role in an era of unprecedented domestic success under Pep Guardiola. City are expected to receive up to £5m from the deal, depending on performance-related clauses.
In a heartfelt post shared on Instagram, Walker reflected on his time at City and expressed gratitude to teammates, staff and fans.
“It’s been a truly amazing, special place that will remain in my heart forever,” said Walker. “I feel what we achieved as a team, a club, an organisation, a family – that’s not just players and the staff but you as fans – has been absolutely incredible.
“The ups, the downs, the good and bad times, the treble, the centurions, the formidables, the four in a row, you name it, we’ve kind of done it.
“I feel like I just want to say thank you to each and every one of you.”
He went on to thank club chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak, sporting director Txiki Begiristain, manager Pep Guardiola, and his past and present teammates.
“I’ve been very fortunate to play with legends of the game, but there are still top players at the club and I believe that you can carry on keep achieving what we’ve achieved over the last number of years,” said Walker. “It’s kind of not a farewell but a see you soon.
“Thank you once again to the fans. Thank you to everyone who was associated with it from 2017 to this present day. My chapter is moving somewhere different. It’s a little bit of a different challenge but one I’m really looking forward to and you know it attacking really.”
Walker joined City from Tottenham Hotspur in 2017 and quickly established himself as a cornerstone of Guardiola’s system. During his time in Manchester, he won six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four League Cups, and the Champions League.
The veteran full-back spent the second half of last season on loan at AC Milan but was not retained by the Italian side. Despite interest in several clubs, including Everton, Walker opted to reunite with former Spurs teammate and current Burnley manager Scott Parker.
