“Absolutely not” – Pep Guardiola rejects rumours around Manchester City captaincy decision | OneFootball

Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola has shutdown the suggestion that issues concerning Kyle Walker last season forced a change of direction around the club’s captaincy.

The England international made headlines earlier this year when he departed on loan mid-season, with reports suggesting his exit followed a private meeting with Pep Guardiola that left his future in doubt.

At the time, Manchester City were struggling to keep pace in the Premier League, battling for a top-four finish rather than a title charge, and Walker’s unhappiness alongside the squad’s injury crisis, created the perfect storm for questions over his role both on and off the pitch.

Over the summer, speculation grew that Guardiola himself had stepped in to appoint the new club captain, bypassing the traditional squad vote as a direct result of Kyle Walker’s decision to jump ship during times of difficulty.

Previous reports also highlighted the wider reshuffling of leadership responsibilities at Manchester City following Walker’s exit, with other senior players required to step up during one of the most difficult stretches of Pep Guardiola’s reign.

The arrival of fresh faces in the squad this summer and uncertainty around experienced players only further fuelled debate about the long-term direction of City’s leadership group, while Guardiola’s latest words now provide important clarity on the matter.

Speaking during a recent press conference, Pep Guardiola was quizzed on whether Kyle Walker’s mid-season exit from City last season led to him selecting the new club captain himself, as opposed to a first-team vote taking place.

“Absolutely not. I never put responsibility on what happens with one situation on one person. So that’s why we choose just one [captain] or the team chooses one. There are a lot in that position,” Guardiola insisted.

“What happened last season, many things happened, not just one person. Never happens [because of] one person. Absolutely. It was many, many injuries, there are reasons why the captain left, many reasons why, and there are other captains,” Guardiola continued.

“But it’s a good lesson. Life is like that. It happened many times, many things during one season, it’s just learn from that and today, this season, I decided that [on the captain] and maybe next season I will decide completely the opposite.”

Further quizzed on whether Kyle Walker’s decision to leave on loan last January amid ongoing difficulties on the pitch at City came as a surprise, Guardiola said, “I would have loved the best Kyle, but he was unhappy for reasons or wanted to take a situation for family reasons, his life.

“Always, you know, all of you and the players know my opinion; sometimes I take the decision. But when the player hasn’t been satisfied and cannot, you know, be there, as long as they have an agreement with the club, for me it’s fine.”

Guardiola has hinted he could return to a player-led vote in future campaigns, keeping options flexible depending on squad dynamics. Senior figures such as Rúben Dias and Rodri are among the natural candidates to maintain influence, while younger players like Phil Foden and Erling Haaland are beginning to emerge as leaders themselves.

Kyle Walker, meanwhile, serves as a reminder of how quickly circumstances can change. Just months before his departure, he was considered central to the dressing room’s leadership, while his exit and Guardiola’s insistence that it did not shape a captaincy decision, underlines the complexity of balancing happiness with team needs.

With Manchester City now regrouped after a turbulent 2024/25 season, the captaincy debate may prove secondary to results on the pitch, but Pep Guardiola’s remarks ensure clarity around how leadership decisions are made under his watch.

For now, Bernardo Silva is steering the first-team ship with the captain’s armband proudly worn by a player not only to Pep Guardiola’s success since the player’s arrival from AS Monaco in 2017, but also a player who is widely respected within the Etihad Stadium.