Fabrizio Romano thinks one Manchester City player could have alerted clubs in Saudi Arabia ahead of the summer transfer window.
Clubs from the Saudi Pro League have become major players in the transfer market after spending millions in 2023.
Cristiano Ronaldo was the first big-name star to make the jump to the country and many have followed since.
Premier League clubs have benefitted from Saudi Arabia’s ambition, too, by recoupling large fees on players they were happy to move on.
Manchester City sold Aymeric Laporte and Riyad Mahrez to Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli, respectively, last year and raised a combined £53.5m.
City captain Kyle Walker was recently asked about making the move to Saudi Arabia himself and didn’t shut the door on the possibility.
“I’ll never say never. The money that they’re paying and everything is obviously a massive factor in why they’re going out there,” he told the FIVE podcast.
“Ronaldo opened the pathway for everyone to go there.
“If they keep attracting the player they’re attracting the league will get better so why wouldn’t you want to go?”
Now Fabrizio Romano has provided an update on Walker’s future.
Fabrizio Romano on Kyle Walker
Romano told CaughtOffside: “Kyle Walker is having another fantastic season for Manchester City.
“But he may have raised one or two eyebrows with his comments that he’d “never say never” to a big-money move to the Saudi Pro League.
“He was never close to Saudi last summer from what I know, let’s see if they come for him, but we know he was close to Bayern Munich.
“At the moment, however, his full focus is on Man City and he’s not negotiating with any other club.”
Where does Walker’s future lie?
Walker came very close to leaving City in the summer, with Bayern Munich close to signing the right-back.
The £50m man slipped out of Pep Guardiola’s strongest starting XI last season and publically admitted his disappointment in not starting the Champions League final victory over Inter.
Walker did end up staying at the Etihad and even committed his future to the club for another three years by signing a new contract until 2026 in September.
The 33-year-old has roared back to his best this season, too, starting all but three Premier League matches so far.
Walker’s future may lie away from City – he has spoken of how he’d love to return to his hometown club Sheffield United one day – but he isn’t going anywhere just yet.
