Manchester City have reportedly decided that they will stick by one player for 2024/25 and not replace him, amid speculation about his future.
City are still yet to sell any big-name players this summer.
A handful of younger players have departed the club, but in terms of first-team outgoings, only Sergio Gomez has left up to now.
There has been plenty of speculation though. And it has mainly been about the futures of Ederson and Kevin De Bruyne, both of whom are targets for the Saudi Pro League.
But another player who has been loosely linked with a move to Saudi Arabia is Kyle Walker.
But it does not look as though City will be shipping him out in the coming weeks.
Kyle Walker set to stay at Manchester City, the club back him
Walker was arguably one of the weaker performers for City last season, and also struggled at the recent Euros.
Pep Guardiola fought to keep Walker at the club this time last year, as Bayern Munich attempted to land him after City had won the Treble.
The manager’s intervention was crucial, and Walker then ended up signing a new deal at the club.
Walker is another player who has been targeted by Saudi dealmakers this summer, but Give Me Sport are reporting that City have decided they will stick by the player for another season.
The club will not seek to cash in on the player, who originally cost £50 million, despite him now entering his final year at the Etihad.
As a result of this decision, City have now ended, or at least shelved, their interest in Bayer Leverkusen star Jeremie Frimpong. The Netherlands international did have a £35 million release clause, but it recently expired.
Walker must step up with Lewis and Akanji solid options
So Walker is set to stick around for another season, and he will need to step up.
Without a shadow of a doubt, he was not as good last season as he was in 2023/24.
Guardiola has two brilliant alternative options to be playing at right-back if he does not step things up. Manuel Akanji has filled in there before, and Rico Lewis – hailed by his manager following his performance against Celtic – is another who can play there, and he can also invert.
It is interesting that City don’t appear to be in the market for a new right-back.
Given Walker – previously dubbed ‘unbelievable’ by Gary Neville – is now 34, a succession plan does need putting in place. One might have thought that signing a new right-back now, so that he can have one season of bedding in and learning, would have been sensible.
