Southampton defender Kyle Walker-Peters has admitted that leaving Tottenham Hotspur was a very difficult decision.
Not everybody coming through the Tottenham youth ranks can end up becoming a Harry Kane.
Most young talents will have to leave Tottenham in order to become stars and Walker-Peters fits that description.
The right back only managed 24 first-team appearances for Tottenham despite being tipped for a bright future at Spurs.
After a loan spell with Southampton in 2020, Walker-Peters was sold to the Saints for around £12million.
Now a regular for Southampton and one of the most impressive right backs in the Premier League, Walker-Peters is fulfilling his potential away from Tottenham.
Kyle Walker-Peters opens up on Tottenham exit
Walker-Peters has now spoken to Southampton’s matchday programme about his Tottenham exit, as quoted by Hampshire Live.
Walker-Peters had kind words for both Mauricio Pochettino and Jose Mourinho despite his lack of first-team football.
The 25-year-old admitted that leaving Tottenham was ‘really difficult’ and he still looks back on his time at Spurs ‘fondly’.
Walker-Peters added that he needed to leave Spurs and get out of his comfort zone in order to become an England international.
“Pochettino, the manager at the time, had his plan for me and ultimately I think his plan was a success,” said Walker-Peters. “He always said that one day I would play for Tottenham regularly and he often gave me the opportunity to play. With Mourinho coming in, I knew what he wanted. We had various conversations, which was the great thing about Mourinho – he was extremely honest. He never forced me out of the club. He never said ‘I don’t want you’, he just gave me a decision. He explained to me what my role would be, and I felt like at 22 I needed to be playing regularly, so I made the decision to come here and I’m glad I made it.”
“I look back on it fondly, without Tottenham, I wouldn’t be where I am today. It was really difficult. Tottenham was my home, I was comfortable there, but I thought to myself ‘sometimes you need to come out of your comfort zone. If I really want to show everyone how good I am, I need to be playing regularly. If I want to play for England, I need to be playing regularly.’ It was either be comfortable, or show the world how good I am. That’s what I wanted to do,” he added.
Walker-Peters has actually been linked with a return to Tottenham in recent times.
TalkSPORT claimed in January that Tottenham have been tracking Walker-Peters with a view to making a move.
That would have made sense in January given Tottenham’s need for a right wing back.
However, Tottenham have since snapped up Pedro Porro and surely won’t be moving for another option in that role.
Walker-Peters may still be wanted by other clubs but we can’t see a Tottenham return any time soon.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
