Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola disappointed with star for not telling him directly about transfer exit request: Reports

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was disappointed with veteran defender Kyle Walker over not informing him directly about his wish to leave the club, as per The Athletic. The England international completed a loan move to Serie A giants AC Milan in the just-ended winter transfer window.

Walker, 34, has been one of the trusted lieutenants of Pep Guardiola since his arrival at the Etihad Stadium in 2017, helping the Cityzens win six league titles. However, the former Tottenham Hotspur man struggled with poor form in the first half of this season before eventually handing in a transfer request in January.

The Athletic reports that Walker didn't approach manager Guardiola with his wish to leave the Cityzens, instead informing director Txiki Begiristain. Upon learning this, Guardiola was disappointed with the right-back, who had been one of his close confidants at the club.

Walker left the club in the January transfer window, moving out of England for the first time in his very successful career. He signed a short-term loan deal with AC Milan after turning down a lucrative move to the Saudi Pro League. He made his debut for the side in a 1-1 draw against Inter Milan at the weekend.

Manchester City have played Matheus Nunes at right-back since Kyle Walker dropped out of their squad, with academy graduate Rico Lewis being left on the bench. The Cityzens have also added a couple of defenders, Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis, to their squad in the January transfer window, among others.

---

Manchester City to name only three new additions in UEFA Champions League squad

Manchester City will be permitted to add only three new names to their squad for the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League this season. The Cityzens have, however, made five new additions to their roster in the January transfer window to combat their struggles in the first half of the season.

Prevailing UEFA regulation allows for a maximum of three new additions to a squad for the knockout stages of club competitions. An exception to this rule exists, which allows for more players to be added provided more than five players left the club in the January transfer window.

As a result, two of the quintet of Abdukodir Khusanov, Omar Marmoush, Vitor Reis, Nico Gonzalez, and Claudio Echeverri will miss out on the squad. Pep Guardiola has until February 6 to decide on which players to include in the squad as the knockouts begin this month.