February 11th 2025.
After Manchester City's disappointing 3-2 defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League, Wayne Rooney had some strong words for his former club. Specifically, he criticized their decision to let Kyle Walker go on loan to AC Milan in the January transfer window, calling it "odd" and "strange."
Rooney, who now works as a pundit for Amazon Prime, believes that Walker's departure has left a noticeable gap in City's defense. With the team struggling in recent matches, he thinks that Guardiola should have kept Walker and not allowed him to leave, especially since he was the team's captain.
The match against Madrid was a rollercoaster, with City taking the lead twice before ultimately losing in the dying minutes. Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe scored for City, but Madrid's Brahim Diaz and Jude Bellingham sealed the win for their team. Now, City will have to overturn their 3-2 defeat in the second leg at the Bernabeu in order to progress to the last 16.
Meanwhile, Walker is expected to start for AC Milan in their Champions League play-off match against Feyenoord. Rooney believes that City should have convinced Walker to stay until the end of the season, especially since he was under contract and could have helped the team in their pursuit of the Champions League title.
Rooney drew from his own experience with Jose Mourinho at Manchester United when discussing the situation. He revealed that he had a similar conversation with Mourinho in January, where the manager asked him to stay and help the team in the Europa League. Although it was difficult for him to accept at first, Rooney respected Mourinho's decision and left the club at the end of the season.
Former City defender Gael Clichy also weighed in on the topic, saying that City has always been a "ruthless" club, both on and off the pitch. He pointed out that under Guardiola, players are expected to perform and train at their best, or they risk not playing. Clichy believes that City's decision to sell players like Joe Hart, Vincent Kompany, David Silva, and Sergio Aguero, while still bringing in young talent, proves just how ruthless the club can be.
Clichy also mentioned that Walker was close to signing for Bayern Munich before the club convinced him to stay. He sees Walker as a valuable player for City, especially since he adds something that no other defender in the team can provide. Despite the club's track record of selling players, Clichy questioned the decision to let Walker go, especially during such a crucial time in the season.
As City prepares for their second leg against Madrid, many are questioning the team's decision to let Walker leave. Only time will tell if this was a wise move or a costly mistake.
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