Kyle Walker rejects calls to strip Manchester City of titles

Kyle Walker rejects the prospect of Manchester City being stripped of its titles. The former defender spoke against the idea amid the case involving allegations of breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules. He had previously opposed taking away trophies the club won in recent years.

Walker acknowledged that the situation “doesn’t look good”, but said he did not believe the titles should be taken from the club and the players who won them. He also stressed the effort behind those achievements and the part played by supporters: “It’s extremely difficult, because we worked hard to win these titles, and we’re not the only ones. I also think of the fans who travelled long distances across the country and went abroad.”

The case involves 115 charges against Manchester City. The club was cleared of one and found guilty of 114 breaches. It says it is “innocent” and has appealed the decision made by the independent commission appointed by the Premier League to examine the case. Walker could be affected by a possible removal of trophies if sanctions of that kind are imposed at the end of the proceedings; that possibility therefore depends on the outcome.

Walker joined Manchester City from Tottenham in the summer of 2017 and won numerous trophies with the club. Potentially affected honours could include the Premier League, English League Cup and Community Shield titles won in 2018. He also won the Champions League with Manchester City in 2023, as well as several domestic honours.

Now at Burnley, which he joined in the summer of 2025, Walker says memories of those successes will remain part of his career: he was on the pitch when the team achieved them. He summed up his position this way: “Nobody can take that away from us”. He also said the group might prefer not to discuss the matter, while hoping to be remembered as having won the titles “the right way”.