Manchester City captain Kyle Walker has expressed his desire to play abroad, prompting a response from manager Pep Guardiola and speculation about his potential replacements.
Manchester City 's Kyle Walker has requested to explore the possibility of leaving the club to play abroad, according to manager Pep Guardiola . Walker, 34, was not involved in City's 8-0 FA Cup victory over Salford City on Saturday. Guardiola confirmed that Walker had approached him two days prior, expressing his desire to seek opportunities overseas. This isn't the first time Walker has considered leaving City.
Two years ago, after winning the Treble, he was close to joining Bayern Munich, but the offer fell short. Guardiola acknowledged Walker's significant contributions to the club, stating, 'It's impossible to imagine what we have done in these years without him.' He added that while he respects Walker's decision, he prefers to play players whose minds are fully committed to the club.Reports suggest that Italian clubs Inter Milan and AC Milan, along with Saudi Pro League teams, are interested in acquiring Walker's services. Although Guardiola is reluctant to lose Walker, City has a history of not obstructing players who wish to pursue other options. If Walker departs, City will need to find a suitable replacement at right-back. Rico Lewis has impressed since stepping up to the first team, but Guardiola desires competition for the young England international. Considering Walker's potential departure, Macro Football's player impact tool, which analyzes player performance using analytics, identified Manchester United's Noussair Mazraoui as a top candidate. Mazraoui boasts a 95.8% similarity rating to Walker and would have been an ideal alternative for City. Acquired by United for £17 million from Bayern Munich last summer, Mazraoui has been one of the few bright spots in an otherwise underwhelming season for the Red Devils. Given his adaptation to the Premier League, Mazraoui appears to be a cost-effective option City may have missed out on. Other players listed in the top five similar to Walker include City teammate Josko Gvardiol and Napoli's Giovanni Di Lorenzo. However, Di Lorenzo's age and Napoli's pursuit of the Serie A title make a move unlikely this month. City has already been active in the transfer window, agreeing to a move for Lens defender Abdukodir Khusanov and in discussions to sign Brazilian defender Vitor Reis and Eintracht Frankfurt forward Omar Marmoush
Kyle Walker Manchester City Transfer Rumors Abroad Pep Guardiola Right-Back Noussair Mazraoui
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