Kyle Walker’s Future in Limbo as Manchester City Draw with Brentford
In the world of football, few things stir up as much excitement and speculation as transfer rumors, and the latest buzz surrounding Manchester City’s Kyle Walker is no exception. On Tuesday, as City faced off against Brentford in a Premier League clash that ended in a 2-2 draw, Walker was notably absent from the squad. This absence has only fueled the fire of speculation about his potential move away from the club.
For those who might not be in the loop, Kyle Walker, the England international, has been a stalwart for Manchester City, making an impressive 319 career appearances for the club. However, it seems the 34-year-old defender is ready for a new challenge, as he has expressed a desire to leave for a club abroad this January. According to sources, AC Milan is currently leading the race to secure his signature.
Walker’s absence from the match against Brentford wasn’t his first recent omission. He also sat out Manchester City’s FA Cup win against Salford City, a match that saw City triumph with an 8-0 victory. After that game, manager Pep Guardiola revealed Walker’s desire to explore a move away from the club. Despite this revelation, Guardiola had mentioned that Walker was still in contention for the Premier League game at the Gtech Community Stadium. Yet, when the matchday squad was announced, Walker was nowhere to be seen.
This marks the first time Walker has been left out of a league matchday squad since he missed a game against Everton in December due to illness. His absence was felt as City squandered a two-goal lead to draw with Brentford, a result that left fans and pundits alike wondering about the impact of Walker’s potential departure.
It’s worth noting that this isn’t the first time Walker has been linked with a move away from the Etihad Stadium. Back in 2023, he was close to joining Bayern Munich. Currently, Walker is under contract with Manchester City until 2026, but sources suggest that AC Milan is open to offering him a deal that would extend until 2027.
In a recent statement, Guardiola praised Walker’s abilities, saying, “He is an incredible player with his incredible physicality, when he is focused he is unstoppable as a right-back. He’s a top-class player, if he is fit he can play one, two, three, four more years as a professional.” Guardiola’s admiration for Walker’s physical prowess is evident, as he added, “I never see a player with these physical conditions in my career.”
However, Guardiola also acknowledged the realities of the transfer market, stating, “I said to him now it’s a question of the market. I never, never, never have a desire for one player, but he has to have agreement with the club and I’m sorry, I was never involved with all the players.”
- Walker has made 319 career appearances for Manchester City.
- AC Milan is reportedly leading the chase for Walker’s signature.
- Walker is under contract with City until 2026, but Milan may offer a deal until 2027.
- Guardiola praised Walker’s physicality and potential longevity in the sport.
As the January transfer window progresses, all eyes will be on Kyle Walker and Manchester City to see how this saga unfolds. Will Walker make the move to AC Milan, or will he remain at the Etihad Stadium to continue his illustrious career with City? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure: the football world will be watching closely.
Originally Written by: ESPN
