Kyle Walker was Man City's £50million cheat code but he won't prove Pep Guardiola wrong

At his best, Kyle Walker was one of the few players who made Pep Guardiola's football at Manchester City work. When Vinicius Jr describes you as his toughest ever opponent, you know you must be doing something right.

And for most of his eight years at the Etihad, Walker was certainly doing something right. A £50million signing from Tottenham in 2017, he repaid that fee several times over and was one of the most important players in Guardiola's best teams.

His battles against Vinicius Jr were always box office. Walker's cheat code was his astonishing recovery pace, and few players put it to the test quite as severely as Real Madrid's Brazilian winger.

"Walker, I always say, he’s the best defender I’ve ever faced, and it’s always a very good duel. He respects me a lot, and I respect him a lot," Vinicius Jr said.

Walker was outstanding in City's 4-0 Champions League semi-final second leg win against Real Madrid in May 2023, but then found himself on the bench in Istanbul as Guardiola returned to his tactic of fielding four central defenders. Despite his disappointment, Walker still delivered a stirring pre-match speech to his teammates ahead of the final against Inter Milan.

He praised Guardiola for informing him of his omission the night before the final, saying, "It's the relationship we have." Their union was so strong that Guardiola made Walker captain in the summer of 2024 when he was considering leaving.

Their relationship has become strained over the past 12 months, however. Walker's form fell off a cliff, and he burned bridges at the club. His departure won't be mourned in the way you would have expected, and the way he probably deserved for most of his City career.

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