Kyle Walker can stay at Manchester City for “four more years” admits Pep Guardiola amid transfer request | OneFootball

Manchester City’s club captain Kyle Walker has the attribute to remain at the very top of the game for “four more years”, according to his manager Pep Guardiola.

The Etihad Stadium head coach has been further speaking about the England international after he revealed over the weekend that Walker had approached the club over the possibility of exploring his options and seeking a new opportunity abroad.

The move from the 34-year-old comes amid a challenging campaign both on a personal and professional note, with his performances when called upon by Guardiola dropping well below the standard that many have become accustomed to.

Kyle Walker will be far from having little opportunities during the ongoing January transfer window, and the current belief is that Italian football may be his likeliest destination, with interest from both Milan clubs.

Speaking during a recent press conference, Pep Guardiola was asked by a reporter as to whether either he or Manchester City would be happy to let Kyle Walker leave the club in the middle of a season.

“Now is a question of the market, a question of he’s an incredible player with incredible physicality, when he’s focussed he’s unstoppable as a right-back. He’s a top class player,” Guardiola insisted.

“If he’s fit and his mind is in there, he can play one, two, three, four more years as a professional, because I’ve never seen a player with this physical condition in my career. And of course I never, never, never ever, the desire for one player, but the other option is you have to be in agreement with the clubs, and in that, I’m sorry, never, ever have I was involved.”

Guardiola has previously suggested that he and Manchester City would be reluctant to sell any of their first-team squad players this month, to which he responded on the subject of a potential Kyle Walker exit, “If he wants to explore, the club are going to explore, and he has to decide, not me! I’m sorry, it’s not my decision.”

Since submitting a formal transfer request to Txiki Begiristain and the wider group of Manchester City decision makers, Kyle Walker has been absent from both the club’s FA Cup third round tie against Salford City and the 2-2 draw with Brentford on Tuesday night.

Speaking prior to the clash with the Bees this week, Guardiola said on whether Walker would remain excluded from the squad while his future remains uncertain, “I don’t know. It depends on how he is going to train. I don’t know.

“The situation is different now, of course. But the transfer window will finish when it finishes, and I don’t know what’s going to happen.”