Kyle Walker could link up with Cristiano Ronaldo as early as this month if Al-Nassr are successful in a bid for the struggling Manchester City skipper.
England international Walker, 34, is in demand after it emerged he could potentially leave the Premier League champions in January. He is a big transfer target for oil-rich clubs in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli all believed to be interested in his services.
Although a mainstay of Pep Guardiola ’s success-laden time at City, Walker has come in for increasing criticism this season following a series of poor displays. He is under contract at Etihad Stadium until the summer of 2026 – when he will be 36 – so still has 18 months of his contract remaining.
Walker has previously stated he would “never say never” when a Middle East switch was first mooted last year.
He turned that down in a bid to win more silverware with City – only for them to endure the worst run of Guardiola’s nine-year reign. They had won just once in 13 games before finally gaining a much-needed victory with Sunday’s 2-0 success at Leicester.
Walker was, once more, on the bench in that game, only coming on for the last 20 minutes. He was initially dropped for the clash with Aston Villa on December 21, although he did replace John Stones at half-time in the 2-1 defeat.
But Walker, who has played more than 200 games for City since his £45m switch from Tottenham in 2017, then missed the Boxing Day draw with Everton due to illness.
Although the Saudi clubs are circling, given the injury issues facing Guardiola’s squad, it is more likely any deal will be concluded in the summer.
Walker, who hopes to feature against West Ham on Saturday, regardless of whether he stays or goes, will hope to remind everyone of his class between now and the end of the season to strengthen his own bargaining position.
Guardiola, meanwhile, spoke of his “relief” after finally getting another win against Leicester.
He said: “I think it is more relief than happiness, I think that’s the right word. As a performance it was not the best, I couldn’t expect it, really. Leicester were better in the last 10-15 minutes of the first half, in the last 15-20 of the second.
“The game was tight. We have to improve a lot. We will improve as the results improve, that’s for sure. The best of us will come back.
“Against Everton the performance was far better than today but today we won and that’s what we need to clean our minds and souls and see we can win games. I never thought it was difficult to win one single game but now we feel it. Maybe it’s good.
“That period helps to see what we have done, it made me reflect on how difficult it is to do what we have done.”
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