Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has revealed that he did not want James Milner to leave the club this summer, but accepts the midfielder wanted a new challenge with Liverpool.
The 29-year-old swapped the Etihad Stadium for Anfield earlier this month, after having spent the last five seasons with the Citizens.
According to Al Mubarak, Milner has always been one of his favourite people and he has thanked him for his service to the club.
However, revealing that it was the former Leeds United player's own decision to leave the club, the chairman stressed the need to provide him with support on what he has decided to do with his career. He further added that Milner's former club will never forget him.
"I would have liked him to stay, but I think he chose his next challenge, I think we have to support him on that, wish him all the best and he will never be forgotten by City", Al Mubarak said in an interview with his club's official website.
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"I want to thank him for his service to the club. He has been a hard worker, has been loyal servant to this club, he has given everything to this club. It has been a joy to watch him."
Al Mubarak also took time to speak about his happiness at having been able to honour Milner with every single domestic trophy in England but expressed his regret at not being able to win the Champions League with him.
"He won every single domestic trophy here, he deserves that and I remember when we first brought him into City I promised him: 'you join City we are going to win Championships you are going to have honours in every league we are part of'.
"I am only disappointed that we didn’t give him the Champions League, but hopefully the others will carry from here on, but I want to thank him for his service to the club."
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