Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed that defender Kyle Walker has asked to leave the club.
The 34-year-old admitted that he came "close" to joining Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023, shortly before opting to sign a contract extension at the Etihad Stadium until June 2026.
Walker, widely regarded as one of the best right-backs in world football during the prime years of his career, has played a significant role in Man City's success since joining from Tottenham Hotspur in 2017, making 319 appearances across all tournaments and winning 17 trophies.
However, the six-time Premier League winner - now in the latter years of his career - has looked increasingly vulnerable during a period when Man City have collectively struggled this season, and his error-strewn performances have come under much scrutiny from Citizens supporters.
Many assumed that Walker would be in contention to feature in Man City's FA Cup third-round clash with Salford City on Saturday, but the defender was surprisingly omitted from Guardiola's matchday squad as a much-changed Citizens side cruised to a 8-0 home victory over their fourth-tier counterparts.
It was initially reported that Walker was left out for tactical reasons, but Guardiola revealed after the match that the right-back requested to leave the club two days ago, suggesting that he was not in the right frame of mind to play.
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Walker hands in Man City transfer request, Guardiola confirms
"[Walker] asked two years ago that he'd like to travel. Bayern Munich wanted him but the offer wasn't good enough. All these years without Kyle, it would have been impossible," Guardiola told reporters.
"He's given us something we didn't have - amazing. But now he'd like to explore another country to play his last years, for many reasons. And for that reason, I preferred playing other players (against Salford).
"He went to the club and spoke with [director of football] Txiki [Begiristain]. I am convinced if a player doesn't want to be where they are then they can't be what they want to be. I just said he's exploring, it doesn't mean it's going to happen because we never know.
"I respect him a lot. I'm more than grateful for what he has done in many years with us. Since he arrived eight years ago, after the first season he started to win, win, win. He has been important with the national team, important for [Man City], but he's now said he wants to explore. Honestly, I don't know what is going to happen."
Walker has regularly been linked with a possible return to boyhood club Sheffield United, but now that he has expressed his desire to move abroad, a switch to the Saudi Pro League could be on the cards amid reported interest in his services from a number of clubs in the Middle East.
The England international's exit from Man City could accelerate now that Guardiola has made his request public, but whether the Citizens will decide to recruit a replacement in January remains to be seen - Rico Lewis is the club's only other natural right-back option.
The Premier League champions are currently focused on signing two young central defenders in the form of Lens' Abdukodir Khusanov and Palmeiras' Vitor Reis; City have allegedly had a £33.5m offer for the former accepted, while they remain in talks to sign the latter after having an opening bid turned down.
Guardiola's side are also pushing to sign Eintracht Frankfurt attacker Omar Marmoush, with the Bundesliga club's CEO confirming on Saturday that an interested club - believed to be Man City - have "made contact" over a January transfer.
Which right-backs could Man City target to replace Walker?
![Jeremie Frimpong with the ball for Bayer Leverkusen against Borussia Monchengladbach on August 23, 2024 [on August 26, 2024]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/35/jeremie-frimpong.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Jeremie Frimpong with the ball for Bayer Leverkusen against Borussia Monchengladbach on August 23, 2024 [on August 26, 2024]")
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Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen)
One name who Man City could move for either in January or next summer is Bayer Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong, who is no stranger to life in the North West of England having spent nine years in the youth ranks at the Etihad between 2010 and 2019.
The 24-year-old never made a senior appearance for the Citizens and eventually moved to Celtic, where he spent two-and-a-half years before joining Leverkusen in January 2021.
Under the tutelage of Xabi Alonso, Frimpong has established himself as one of the best attack-minded wing-backs in Europe and was a key cog in the Leverkusen machine that won the German domestic double last season - including the club's first-ever Bundesliga title - recording 14 goals and 12 assists in 47 appearances.
The Netherlands international, who has previously been linked with Man City and other Premier League clubs including Liverpool and Manchester United, is under contract at the BayArena until the summer of 2028.
Nicolo Savona (Juventus)
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According to GiveMeSport, Man City will consider making a move for Juventus right-back Nicolo Savona in the January transfer window, although an exit from the Old Lady is thought to be unlikely this month.
A separate report from TBR Football claims that Man City scouts feel the highly-rated 21-year-old is 'tailor-made' for Guardiola's system as can also fill in as a centre-back.
Savona, who still has over four years remaining on his contract, is enjoying a breakthrough season with the Italian giants and has played in 24 senior games across all competitions, including 17 Serie A outings and five Champions League appearances - playing the full 90 minutes in Juve's 2-0 win over Man City in December last year.
Ola Aina (Nottingham Forest)
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Another right-back Man City have been linked with is Nottingham Forest's Ola Aina, who has been a standout performer for arguably the surprise packages in the Premier League this season, with Nuno Espirito Santo's side currently sitting third in the table.
Speculation over the 28-year-old's future has been rife in recent weeks, as he is due to see his contract at the City Ground expire in the summer, although Forest are said to be optimistic that they can tie the Nigerian down to a new deal.
Aina, who can also operate at left-back, has played 42 times for Forest since joining from Torino in 2023 and it remains unknown as to whether he would be tempted by a switch to the Etihad having now entered the prime years of his career.
Oliver Thomas
