"We'll fight to keep him here" - Pep Guardiola addresses Manchester City star's future amid interest from European giants
Pep Guardiola has revealed that Manchester City will fight hard to ensure Kyle Walker does not leave the club this summer.
Walker has reportedly attracted interest from Bayern Munich, who are said to be keen on signing the England international ahead of the 2023-24 season. With his current deal expiring in 2024, he is expected to be on the move in the transfer window.
Guardiola recently admitted in a press conference that Walker was considering the idea of leaving the club this summer. He said:
"Honestly, I didn't think there [would be] this movement. I think many things are going to happen. The reason I can’t answer is because I don't know. I spoke with Kyle and everything is right - so now we will see what happens. But I can’t tell you anything because he is still thinking about it," he said.
The Catalan has now stated that Manchester City will fight to retain Walker's services, just as Bayern Munich would do their best to sign him.
"We will fight for him, like I'm pretty sure Bayern [will]. I don't know how it is going to finish," he said. (via SkySports)
Guardiola further stated that Walker remains an important player in the squad and that his qualities are hard to find in any other player. He said:
"He is an incredibly important player for us. He has very specific qualities that are so difficult to find worldwide. His specific qualities are irreplaceable. We want him here but at the end I don't know what is going to happen.
"We need our best players out there against Bayern and we hope he is going to stay with us next season, so why should he not play?" he added.
City signed the 33-year-old in July 2017 from Tottenham Hotspur for a £45m fee, with a further £5 million in potential add-ons. He has since made 254 appearances for the Cityzens, winning five Premier League titles, four EFL Cups, two FA Cups, and the UEFA Champions League.
Bayern Munich to use Kyle Walker to sign Harry Kane: Reports
Kyle Walker isn't the only Premier League player being targeted by Bayern Munich this summer, with Tottenham Hotspur captain Harry Kane said to be one of their top transfer targets.
While Bayern have managed to make progress in their pursuit of Walker, they have hit a dead end with Kane as Spurs remain adamant that the England skipper is not for sale. However, it has now been reported that Walker joining Bayern could help the Bavarians sign Kane.
German journalists Tobi Altschäffl and Christian Falk have hinted at that possibility on the Bayern-Insider Podcast recently. They said (via Twitter/iMiaSanMia):
"Bayern are relying on the effect of Kyle Walker to attract his close friend Harry Kane to Munich. The club already has Kane’s word, but are hoping the Walker transfer will further entice him into the move."
Kane and Walker have been teammates at Spurs before and regularly share the pitch when representing the England national football team. They are also said to be good friends off the pitch.