Manchester City have laid out a second contract offer to Kyle Walker in the hope of keeping him at the club, according to The Athletic’s Sam Lee. The England international rejected a previous contract offer this summer in the hopes of pursuing a move to Bayern Munich.
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Manchester City Desperate to Keep Kyle Walker
Pep Guardiola: ‘We Will Do Everything’ to Retain Duo
Speaking in a press conference recently, City manager Pep Guardiola assured fans that the club ‘will do everything’ in their power to keep Walker and Bernardo Silva, who have both been rumoured to be considering leaving the Etihad this summer. The Blues boss was eager to demonstrate the duo’s importance to the club and discussed the immense difficulty in replacing such vital players.
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Now, it has been revealed by Lee that the club have offered their right-back a new contract, despite previous talks with the Bundesliga champions about a potential sale. The Bavarian club have become concerned that Guardiola’s side could tempt the defender into staying in England. Walker’s response to this latest contract offer could give a definitive answer on his future.
The England international has received universal praise from teammates and rivals alike. His boss previously praised his consistency, describing the defender as “fantastic.”
Why is Kyle Walker Considering Leaving Manchester City for Bayern Munich?
Despite Guardiola’s history of singing his praises, Walker recently admitted to feeling “hurt” by some of the Spaniard’s comments last season. Specifically, his manager told the press that he could not play in their inverted defender system
The 32-year-old was left out of the squad in key games against Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig in the Champions League, and eventually the final, with John Stones operating in a new combined role as a centre-back and central midfielder. The City boss claimed the full-back could not make the “educated” movements to play on the inside of the pitch, which Walker has said led him to doubt himself.
It is uncertain where the Englishman now fits in the side, with the club’s treble-winning season being defined by a decision to play four central defenders in all of the defensive positions. Bargain signing Manuel Akanji in particular, took his spot at right-back in their 1-0 UEFA Champions League final victory over Internazionale.
Despite this, City are keen to tie Walker down to a new contract.
Right-Back Previously Approved Bayern Munich Move
Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano has previously reported that Walker initially approved Bayern’s approaches, with Manchester City interested in bringing French international Benjamin Pavard the other way in a separate deal. However, club bosses in Manchester have now demonstrated that they are keen to retain their player’s services.
Fellow right-back Joao Cancelo has agreed on personal terms with Barcelona, after a loan to Bayern Munich last season that followed a rumoured bust-up with Pep Guardiola. The Portuguese defender is thought to have expressed his frustration with his playing time, resulting in the manager giving permission for the player to find a new club.
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Walker now has an opportunity to reconsider his future at the club and whether it’s time for a new challenge in the Bundesliga. If his career at the Etihad ends this summer, he will leave as a five-time Premier League winner, with medals for winning two FA Cups, four EFL Cups, two Community Shields, and of course, a UEFA Champions League.
Main Image Credit: Ank Kumar on Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
