Kyle Walker has emerged as a target for Real Madrid, with the reigning La Liga champions reportedly plotting a loan move for the wantaway Manchester City full-back.
According to a report by Graeme Bailey on TBR Football, Kyle Walker is the subject of interest from Real Madrid. The reigning La Liga champions have been scouring the market for a right-back heading into the winter transfer window. So, the wantaway Manchester City veteran has emerged as a target, with the Merengues expressing their desire to sign him on loan this month.
The rise and rise of Kyle Walker
Kyle Walker has been one of the best full-backs in the Premier League for nearly a decade. A native of Sheffield, the Englishman rose in prominence during his spell with Tottenham Hotspur before joining Manchester City in July 2017. Since then, he has come leaps and bounds at the Etihad.
The 34-year-old has been a mainstay at the back for Manchester City in the last seven and a half seasons while growing in stature each year. Walker has been the club captain since Ilkay Gundogan’s first stint at the Etihad ended 18 months ago. Meanwhile, the veteran full-back has turned out over 300 times thus far for Manchester City, chipping in with six goals and 23 assists.
However, Walker’s long association with Manchester City will likely end in the winter transfer window, with the 93-cap English international handing a transfer request. The experienced full-back wants to explore his options abroad, and the situation has piqued the attention of several high-profile clubs across Europe, including Real Madrid.
La Liga move on the horizon?
Real Madrid’s interest in Kyle Walker is perplexing. While the reigning La Liga champions have been scouring the market for a new right-back after losing Dani Carvajal to a season-ending knee injury, the Manchester City captain will only be a short-term solution on the right flank.
Instead, the Merengues need to find a long-term successor to Carvajal. However, with Real Madrid lining up a loan move for the 34-year-old Englishman, keeping him at the Santiago Bernabeu until the 2024/25 season ends might be sensible. That can allow Real Madrid to recalibrate and complete a Bosman move for Trent Alexander-Arnold in the summer.
As for Manchester City, the Premier League champions do not have a shortage of candidates to replace Kyle Walker, with Nicolo Savona among the prospective options. So, the 93-cap English international will likely leave Manchester City this month, and it will be interesting to see if he joins Real Madrid.
