Tottenham No.37 Micky van de Ven has now admitted that Manchester City No.2 Kyle Walker is quicker than him.
The 22-year-old made the comments when speaking to the Premier League.
So, what did Micky van de Ven say about Kyle Walker? Let’s take a look…
What Micky van de Ven said about Kyle Walker
Well, a list of Premier League defenders was read out to the Dutchman – who then had to guess whether he is quicker than them on EAFC24.
Van de Ven is one of the fastest footballers on the planet – with some even comparing his speed to that of Mohamed Salah – although he had no doubts when Walker’s name was read out.
The Netherlands international simply said: “He is faster than me. He’s one of the fastest.”
In fairness, Van de Ven might actually be quicker.
As shown on the Premier League’s official website, Walker has recorded a top speed of 35.32 km/h this season, with the £34.5m Tottenham defender recording a speed of 35.52 km/h this term.
That is – of course – marginally quicker than the England international.
However, it should be noted that Walker is 11 years older than Van de Ven at 33 – so it is still remarkable to see him hitting such speeds.
Manchester City must replace Kyle Walker properly
It remains to be seen if Walker will stay at the Etihad Stadium beyond the summer of 2025 – when his contract expires – and if he does depart, Txiki Begiristain needs to take care over his replacement.
The Manchester City No.2’s immense recovery pace allows Pep Guardiola to line up in a unique way and achieve overloads in central areas, as he knows Walker can effectively patrol an entire flank by himself – like he did against Newcastle recently in the 3-2 win at St James’ Park.
Therefore, a player of similar speed must be found, or else Manchester City’s entire game plan might struggle to get going against certain opponents.
