Pep Guardiola has revealed that Kyle Walker has asked to leave Man City.
Kyle Walker may have spoken in the past of his wish to conclude his footbaling career at childhood club Sheffield United, but that now appears exceedingly improbable.
Man City boss Pep Guardiola stated on Saturday night that the England international full back has requested to leave the Etihad after nearly eight years at the club.
Walker was missing from the City squad for their 8-0 hammering of Salford in the FA Cup third round, where former Blades loanee James McAtee scored a hat-trick, and when asked afterwards for the reason, Guardiola confirmed that the Sheffield-born defender has asked to ‘explore his options abroad’.
Guardiola stated, “Two days ago, Kyle asked to examine the alternatives of playing abroad at the end of his career. For a variety of reasons, he want to explore it, travel to another nation, and spend his final years (somewhere else). As a result, I like playing other players whose minds are present.”
He went on to say, “We can’t appreciate how successful we’ve been throughout the years without Kyle. It is impossible. Having a right-back (like him) offered us something we didn’t have, and he’s been fantastic. But he stated he wanted to examine it with his intellect and heart.
It is uncertain whether Walker will depart City during this month’s transfer window.
Guardiola had hoped to enhance his team following City’s dismal record, which was aggravated by a lengthy injury list near the end of 2024.
Guardiola stated: “I simply said ‘explore’. That does not mean it will happen. I greatly respect him since I am grateful for everything he has done for us over the years. When he arrived eight years ago, we began to win, win, win. He’s been crucial to both the national team and our team, but I’m not sure what will happen.
Walker will reach 35 at the conclusion of this season, and if he spends a few years away, his career will most certainly come to an end, leaving his dream of playing for the Blades unfulfilled.
Walker played a few appearances for the Blades before joining Tottenham in 2009, and he has previously expressed his desire to complete his career at Bramall Lane, which is just a short distance from where he grew up in Sharrow.
Last year, he said on Rio Ferdinand’s podcast: “I don’t want to go too low [near the end of his career] because, no disrespect, but I believe the lower it gets, the harder it gets. Certain things you have the luxury of at City, such as facilities, nutrition, and so on. But I’d prefer to conclude with Sheffield United. That’s something I’d like to do.
“I stayed there from such a young age till I got to Tottenham, and I only played five [league] games before going to Tottenham, after which I went back on loan for half a season. So I think I’ve got about 35 games left, and I’d like to play for as long as possible in order to give back or even pass on my expertise to the younger guys who are coming up or who are already there. If I can accomplish it, I would like to, yes.”
During the same interview, Walker discussed the prospect of collecting the large sums of money being paid to play in Saudi.
“I’m very close to Riyad [Mahrez, who left City for Al-Ahli last summer],” Walker remarked. “He was one of my best pals while he was here. Listen, I won’t say never. The money they pay is definitely a major reason why these players are out there. I believe Ronaldo transformed or paved the road for others to follow in his footsteps.
“I believe that if they continue to attract the players they do, the league will improve. So, why don’t you want to go? But, for me, the Premier League is without a doubt the best league in the world, and I want to compete in it for as long as possible and as high as possible before anything else. I’ve always stated that as long as my legs are moving and I believe I can contribute at a certain level, I want to participate.
Walker has helped City win 17 trophies, including six Premier League crowns and the Champions League, since signing in a £45 million deal from Tottenham in 2017.
Nonetheless, he was close to joining Bayern Munich following City’s treble victory in 2023, and his performances over the previous two seasons have been inconsistent.
Walker, who signed a contract extension in September 2023 that will keep him at the club until the summer of 2026, has not appeared for City since their derby defeat to Manchester United last month.
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