Kyle Walker’s time at Manchester City is to finish.
Walker was not included in the squad for the 8-0 victory over Salford City in the FA Cup on Saturday, and after the match manager Pep Guardiola revealed exactly why.
“Wellarray . . . “, opened, and after a short break, announced the news that eclipsed everything that happened in the adjustment. “It is not simple for me to say it because he deserves to say it, but he is not there, so, two days ago, Kyle asked to explore the characteristics to play at the end of his career. “
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Guardiola convinced Walker to stay in the summer of 2023 amid serious interest from Bayern Munich, taking him out for dinner in the centre of Manchester, but this time a parting of the ways is on the cards.
When he was put to Guardiola, this city, do the players leave when they wish, certainly, not in the case of Walker 18 months ago, the head of the city reported that the right rear does not feel capable of betting its most productive in Manchester?
“Maybe I am wrong, but I am still convinced that there is not a single user in our work, whatever the job, who does not need to be where they cannot play or be what they need to be,” Guardiola said.
Walker is in a position to call the hour in his career in the bright city this month. AC Milan are in the market for a wonderful back, they were also considered the former city guy Danilo, now at Juventus, and they have been informed of England’s availability.
As of Saturday night, City had won any day from Walker, whose contract expires in 2026, so it’s unclear whether a departure would be permanent or a loan.
One subplot to all this is that, if a move to Milan were to happen, it would end their pursuit of Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, as they only have one spot remaining in their squad for a UK player.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the former Milan player who works as an operating spouse for homeowners Redbird Capital Partners and the club’s adviser, described Rashford on Saturday but said the signing was “a complicated matter” to make.
Walker, the City captain, has had a very difficult season. His loss of form has been alarming and he has been heavily criticised by fans online. Last month he highlighted racist abuse he had been sent on social media, and branded as “unacceptable” an image where he had been mocked up as a terrorist.
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There were no apparent symptoms of dissatisfaction in the stadium on an adjustment day, however, since Walker has read messages sent to its reception box and noticed other derogatory pieces online, safe resources around the wardrobe, anonymously speaking to the relationships, like others referenced in this article. – Dear that the scenario would have led him to leave as soon as possible.
The city captain had not started the 4 games before Salford’s adjustment and when he left the bench in the last two, he refused to take the armband when he introduced him to Kevin de Bruyne. Guardiola’s comments about Walker not feeling he can play City suggest that this is a very complicated period.
Sources close to Walker say he has always wanted to go abroad, despite a long-mooted return to boyhood club Sheffield United. With interest from Juventus as well as Bayern following City’s treble win in 2023, perhaps the England international feels that, in hindsight given the current situation, it may have been better to go out on the ultimate high.
Back then, he was heading into the final year of his City contract and was concerned he would not get the playing time he wanted. In previous years, City players have seen Fernandinho and Sergio Aguero fall down the pecking order and Walker did not want that to happen to him.
He also encountered non-public upheavals and talks a lot about leaving the Premier League to get away from media coverage.
In this case, he signed a two-year contract extension at the Etihad Stadium and would have arguably played more football than even he may have imagined since then; He remained a key detail of the city team last season and Guardiola stayed for him for a giant component of the bad run that closed in 2024, even at a time when the manager identified that he was not in a position “with much” to play 90 minutes due to injuries.
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Walker still has 18 months in its current contract, however, that means that there will be main points that will have to be handled with Milan or any other suitor, the City is in a position to grant its application and let it pass this month.
There is an appetite within the club to make significant changes to the squad over the next two transfer windows and Walker, Ilkay Gundogan and De Bruyne, for example, could all move on as part of a summer overhaul. But it had appeared City wanted to keep the squad together until the end of the season and add bodies where they could in the winter transfer window.
However, with Walker willing to pass now, and with his actions diminished so clearly, it would make little sense to maintain it for the next six months, especially because rejecting it to a club like Milan, especially after the interest of Bayern, would be a request too much.
Unfortunately, it’s time for Walker to go. It’s unfortunate because his contributions to the city over the years, which have been an integral component of 17 trophies, deserve an outing in more important circumstances. It may be less difficult to get back to summer contributions when the dust has moved to this difficult season, than in between when feelings are still raw.
While it was difficult to justify his position on the newly shaped team, any departure would pose headaches for the city in terms of squad numbers. Their defense has been plagued by injuries all season and the loss of a player was not on the agenda.
It is true that the city makes primary moves in the movement market, especially in defense, however, Abdukodir Khusanov of Lens, 20, and Vitor Reis, 18 years of Palmeiras, are raw diamonds. They are highly coveted central defenders and have the long-term perspective of the city team, however, that would be a request to expect them to make a wonderful contribution straight away.
The city’s defense has been put under immense control in recent periods for players who have spaces in their game.
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City are expected to be active in the transfer market even beyond the potential arrivals of Khusanov, Reis and Frankfurt forward Omar Marmoush, so it may be that they find more ready-made solutions elsewhere. There is a lot of business still to do this month.
For Walker, the time will come for his City career to be fully appreciated, but the end itself is likely to come sooner.
(Top photo: Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)