Kyle Walker remains a Manchester City player, much to the relief of pretty much everyone connected with the club – and there was one other player who might have been key in him staying put.
The 33-year-old has enjoyed a fantastic start to the new season.
Walker has featured heavily so far, and sported the captain’s armband in the absence of Kevin De Bruyne.
Walker is one of five players in a leadership group at the Etihad.
An order hasn’t yet been established, but it’s possible he could be the main choice if he keeps playing and leading as well as he is doing.
Walker came close to leaving City in the summer.
It is known that Bayern Munich really wanted to sign him.
But Pep Guardiola made a strong pitch to him to stay – and there may have also been some influence from another City player.
John Stones told Kyle Walker to stay at Man City, Pep also crucial
The Athletic have ran an interesting piece about the situation surrounding Walker in the summer.
The 33-year-old was at one point very close to making a move to Bayern.
But a collective intervention was made to keep Walker at the Etihad.
It is stated that Pep Guardiola was ultimately the biggest influence in keeping him. Walker has said that he had had several chats with Pep about staying.
But interestingly it is also mentioned that ‘gifted’ defender Stones, Walker’s ‘great friend’, directly told him to remain.
Northerners Stones and Walker have always been fairly close, having arrived at club within a year of each other and having also been staple picks with England over the years.
Walker staying was huge
It was absolutely vital that City kept hold of Walker and he has been proving that in these opening weeks of the new season.
Losing Walker to Bayern would have been so frustrating.
There just isn’t a full-back out there that can do what he does.
It was so good that he felt the love from everyone at the club and ultimately decided to not only stay put, but extend his contract too.
We’ll never know what Stones specifically said, but you would imagine he made a compelling case to keep his friend at the club.
