Man City are missing unique Kyle Walker trait - only the transfer market can fix it

There is no escaping the fact that Kyle Walker's form has declined at an alarming rate over the last 12 months, but one attribute hasn't deserted the Manchester City right-back just yet, and that is his speed.

As Pep Guardiola put it back in March, Walker will still be the fastest man in the room at 60. But pace alone is not good enough to survive at the Etihad, and the 35-year-old is set to leave the club this summer.

That leaves City pondering their options at right-back. Rico Lewis remains a candidate for the role, but the red card he received against Wydad AC in the Club World Cup ruled him out for the rest of the tournament.

That opened the door for Matheus Nunes to continue his own progression in the position, but against Al Hilal, the Portuguese midfielder looked like what he is: a player being played out of position. Nunes might carry some attacking threat and have quality on the ball, but he doesn't look assured defensively.

With City now out of the Club World Cup, the focus will shift back to the transfer market, starting with trimming a squad that is far too big for Guardiola's tastes. Walker, Jack Grealish, Kalvin Phillips, and James McAtee are all set to leave, and others could follow.

But in terms of incomings, right-back is uppermost in the thoughts of director of football Hugo Viana. Going into this season with Lewis and Nunes as the regular options in the position could result in a clear weakness.

Nunes was often exposed last season, and for all Lewis' potential, he still has designs on playing in midfield. He struggled last term, which is understandable for a young player suddenly finding himself in a team that had lost its mojo.

There is also a clear difference between those two players and Walker,