“Talking life in general” – Kyle Walker lifts lid on Pep Guardiola chats after difficult exit | OneFootball

Burnley’s Kyle Walker has opened up on his enduring bond with Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, revealing he regularly visits his former club’s training ground.

The 35-year-old recently announced his retirement from international football ahead of this summer’s FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, having won 96 caps for England across a distinguished career.

Walker departed Manchester City last summer after a seven-and-a-half year stay at the Etihad Stadium under Pep Guardiola, during which he won six Premier League titles, four League Cups, two FA Cups and the club’s maiden UEFA Champions League crown in 2023.

In a candid sit-down with former Manchester United and England full-back Gary Neville for The Overlap, Walker spoke warmly about his continued connection to the club and the group of players he believes fundamentally transformed it.

Walker: It’s like I’ve never left Man City

Reflecting on how natural it still feels to walk back through the doors at the City Football Academy, Walker made clear that his relationship with Guardiola has not dimmed since his departure.

“Even now I go into the training ground, my son plays for the U10s, it’s like I’ve never left,” he said in a reminiscing tone.

“I go and eat food, (I) had a conversation with him (Guardiola) probably two weeks ago, sat in his office for an hour, talking life in general.”

Man City don’t achieve what they’ve achieved without us, Walker admits

The former England star was equally forthright when reflecting on the lasting legacy that he and his generation of players have stamped on the club – and the responsibility he feels for future groups to honour it.

“One thing that’s very good and need to probably carry on for the rest of it is us players have changed that club and built what we’ve built over the last eight years,” Walker said.

“They can’t forget what we’ve done and they won’t forget. The chairman, Khaldoon (Al Mubarak) has said, ‘This is your home’.

“And to me that’s important because without them, I’m not me but without us, that group of players – Manchester City don’t achieve what they’ve achieved.”

It is a sentiment that encapsulates much of what made that era so special – a symbiotic relationship between a brilliant manager, a visionary ownership and a group of players who gave everything to turn Manchester City into the dominant force in world football. Walker, with 319 appearances to his name in sky blue, was as central to that story as anyone.