Kyle Walker: The End of an Era at Manchester City

Following Manchester City’s emphatic 8-0 decimation of Salford City in the recent round of FA Cup fixtures, when questioned on why Kyle Walker was missing from the matchday squad by the media, Pep Guardiola surprisingly informed the world that his team’s captain “asked to explore the options to play abroad”. In other words, he was eager to leave, and soon.

Whilst a club captain requesting a transfer midway through a season is somewhat unprecedented, considering his less than stellar form across City’s so-far disappointing campaign, it is not a totally unexpected turn of the events.

Following the revelation that Walker was actively looking to ply his trade elsewhere, it quickly became apparent that the general feeling amongst the City faithful was somewhat mixed, although it was widely believed that a parting of ways was certainly in both the player’s and club’s best interest.

Soon afterwards, reports emerged that Walker was set to depart sooner rather than
later and with a move to AC Milan heavily rumoured, some of the club’s followers were unashamedly pleased that a player who had served the club tremendously in recent
years was on his way out.

However, this was not the overwhelming opinion as many other supporters were openly disappointed that his time with the reigning champions had ended so unceremoniously, and without the widespread recognition and send-off that he more than deserved for his years of astounding service.

Kyle Walker’s incredible journey with Pep Guardiola’s side began in the summer of 2017, when the Yorkshire-born defender joined the club from Tottenham Hotspur for a reported fee of £50 million.

Owing to Manchester City’s woeful defensive fragilities across the previous season, the club’s decision to pursue Walker could be fairly described as somewhat of a no-brainer.

Prior to Walker’s arrival, the then-27-year-old was widely regarded as the most accomplished right-back in the country having been a key member of Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs side that had challenged strongly for the Premier League title in the two seasons prior.

With two PFA Team of the Year nominations to his name across the previous five seasons, Walker appeared certain to be a wise signing that would be an excellent and appropriate replacement for the departing Pablo Zabaleta.

Upon having made the move up north, Walker started well and despite an unfortunate sending off in his home debut against Everton, it quickly became apparent that the acquisition of the boyhood Sheffield United fan represented a shrewd move in the transfer market as the England star immediately established himself as a key component of a rejuvenated City squad.

An ever-present and vital member of the famed ‘Centurions’ side, Kyle Walker appeared 32 times in the league as he registered 48 appearances in all competitions across his debut campaign, during which City romped to a record-setting 100-point title triumph.

Prior to collecting his first Premier League winners’ medal of the Pep Guardiola era, the former Spurs star notably earned the first major trophy of his career when City pummelled Arsenal 3-0 at Wembley in the 2018 EFL Cup Final.

A highlight for many fans from that day was Kyle Walker’s emotional reaction upon hearing final whistle in which he demonstrated his passion and the winning mentality that would be an evident character trait for years to come.

The following season, Walker was once again an integral contributor as City continued
their dominance recording back-to-back league titles for the first time in their history, along with completing an unprecedented clean sweep of the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup and the Community Shield – an exploit never previously attained in the history of English football, and an achievement that will likely never be repeated.

Following on from a wildly successful start to life in Manchester, the England international continued to thrive in the years that followed but when absent, his presence was invariably apparent as the team often struggled without his revered recovery pace and defensive prowess in the side.

For years it seemed as though City were alarmingly vulnerable whenever Walker was not available, such was his reliability and proficiency in the defensive third when the side were on the back-foot.

A disappointing 2019/20 season followed Manchester City’s ‘Fourmidables’ campaign in which Pep Guardiola’s back-to-back champions were seldom close to catching Jurgen Klopp’s rampant Liverpool, whilst a nervy League Cup triumph was the pinnacle of the club’s year.

With a disappointing season behind them, City targeted a return to winning ways and Walker further asserted himself as an influential presence as the club embarked on an unprecedented era of domestic dominance.

Across the following few years, Manchester City established themselves as the best team in the land with three Premier League titles in as many years, and Walker was ever-present throughout this period.

The defender’s remarkable impact on the team across each triumphant campaign should not be underestimated or forgotten, and upon the departure of Ilkay Gundogan in the summer of 2023, Kyle Walker was duly elected as the next club captain by his teammates.

At the climax of his first season as the team’s skipper, Pep Guardiola’s side dramatically overcame title challengers Arsenal to clinch a record fourth consecutive Premier League crown – and as captain, Walker had the honour of proudly raising the trophy at the Etihad Stadium following yet another stellar season in blue.

Walker’s importance to City’s domestic dominance in recent years is indisputable, and additionally, the Yorkshireman was also a vital performer for the club on the European stage, particularly throughout the club’s successful 2022/23 Champions League campaign.

Whilst Walker did not start the final in Istanbul – ostensibly for tactical reasons, without him, it is plausible that City may not have even been in Turkey that day.

Throughout the entirety of the club’s ultimately successful European campaign, Walker’s performances were consistently incredible, however perhaps his most notable contribution came in City’s dominant victory over serial winners Real Madrid in the semi-finals.

The tie with Carlo Ancelotti’s side was hotly contested, and Walker was designated the unenviable task of containing Los Blancos’ chief creative outlet – Vinicius Jr; a charge that few players in world football are capable of handling.

However, having successfully tamed the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, amongst many others in recent years, Walker was one of few players capable of accomplishing this and almost expectedly, he thrived.

Across both of the meetings with the Spanish giants, the veteran was instrumental in significantly limiting Vinicius Jr’s influence, firstly at the Bernabeu as City battled to earn a deserved 1-1 draw, but also at the Etihad the following week, a game in which City staggeringly decimated Real Madrid 4-0 as they domineeringly booked their place in the final on their way to a long-awaited Champions League triumph.

Throughout the vast majority of his time with the club, Walker’s performance levels were consistently nothing short of elite, and an uncharacteristic drop in form in recent months should not distract the City faithful from his monumental role across the club’s golden era.

A physical specimen and possessing an unparalleled combination of pace, power and a phenomenal work-rate, Walker’s recovery speed and relentless desire proved vital time and time again as City dominated English football for almost the entirety of his time in Manchester, and without him, City simply would not have been as successful as they have been throughout the Guardiola era.

Although it may not currently be universally perceived as such for various reasons, Kyle Walker has undoubtedly departed City as nothing short of a club legend. Having registered 319 appearances and with 17 winners’ medals to his name, he is perhaps the greatest full-back to have ever worn the sky blue of Manchester City, and he deserves tremendous recognition and respect for his immense contributions.