Pep Guardiola has informed Kyle Walker that Manchester City will seek a reasonable price for their “top class” defender during the January transfer window. The club is aiming to strengthen their squad after reaching a £33.5m agreement for Lens defender Abdukodir Khusanov and starting discussions regarding defender Vitor Reis and forward Omar Marmoush. Guardiola mentioned that City intended to retain all their players during the January transfer window, but Walker has requested to leave after facing challenges both on and off the field. City prefers not to keep discontented players who wish to go elsewhere; however, they will only let players leave if prospective clubs make a reasonable offer. There have been several instances where this wasn’t true, such as Ederson last summer and Walker himself two years ago when Bayern Munich showed interest. Guardiola praised Walker’s skills after he expressed a desire to leave, indicating that City has a player who could continue performing at a high level for another four years if he can regain his concentration. The Blues will only let Walker go this month if they receive an offer that matches his worth, as he still has 18 months left on his contract. “I told him it’s now a matter of the market,” Guardiola stated. “He is an amazing player with outstanding physical abilities; when he is concentrated, he is unbeatable as a right-back. He is a top-tier talent, and if he remains healthy, he can continue to play professionally for one, two, three, or even four more years.” In my career, I’ve never encountered a player with these physical attributes, and while I’ve never had a strong desire for any specific player, there must be an agreement with the club. Unfortunately, I was never involved with all the players.
