According to sources, Kyle Walker wants to finish out his contract year at Manchester City, and given the current state of affairs, it’s hard to imagine much resistance to that.
At the crucial moment of the season, when City is aiming to complete the treble and have a magical campaign, the city defence is back in peak form.
The fifth under Pep Guardiola and third straight victory in the Premier League. Prior to the enormous Champions League final versus Inter, the team will play Manchester United in the FA Cup in early June. Walker, one of the early crew on the quest for greatness and motivated to get there in City, was brought in by Guardiola following his first year in England.
Walker has been linked to several European heavyweights, but he seems determined on remaining at the Etihad Stadium at least until the summer of 2024, when his contract expires. Walker played the whole 90 minutes away to Leipzig and then came back for both of City’s semi-final matches against Real Madrid, showing that Guardiola still has faith in his right-back to perform well on the greatest stages despite missing the all of City’s Champions League group stage campaign.
Walker demonstrated the outstanding defensive abilities he still possesses with his efforts against Vinicius Jr., especially in the home leg. The City full-back, whose lightning-fast speed and athleticism are enough to terrify the very best in the industry, effectively neutralised the Brazilian superstar.
The next step was a call-up to the newest England team. Gareth Southgate, the manager of the Three Lions, responded to a question concerning the participation of Trent Alexander-Arnold of Liverpool by saying, “I’ve always recognised his qualities as a player but he’s just been bloody unlucky that we’ve got Walker, who has just had three of the best games I’ve seen from a right back.”
Walker ‘cannot’ play in the role being assumed by John Stones, which involves shifting into midfield while playing right-back, according to Guardiola, who just said that back in April. Although Walker’s statements generated a lot of discussion and headlines, it’s possible that Guardiola had this in mind all along in order to have one of his most powerful and damaging allies fired before the decisive game-winning goal.
Another year of Walker bombing up and down the touchline is somewhat of a no-brainer for City with Joao Cancelo’s City career seemingly over and the incredibly exciting Rico Lewis continuing to impress in his breakthrough season. Two steady hands on the wheel for another year as City potentially start to plan for life after him.
This week, Guardiola discussed how his team’s defence has improved and the necessity of containing the greatest wingers in the competition. There isn’t a lot better at their job in the city than their number two.