In a recent report from Manchester Evening News, it was stated that Kyle Walker of Manchester City had an impressive spell with England in the 2022 FIFA World Cup which could help sort out his situation with the Sky Blues. The English defender performed exceptionally despite being out of action for a couple of weeks after suffering an injury in the Premier League. However, his future at the Etihad club needs to be sorted out in the near future even though his contract lasts until 2025.
Walker’s Injury-Plagued Campaign With Manchester City This Season
Walker has had a frustrating campaign at the Etihad Stadium this term as he has mostly remained sidelined after succumbing to injuries in the following period. The England international has made seven appearances for the Mancunian giants failing to be productive in the final third.
The Sheffield-born sensation has had fewer minutes in comparison to the previous campaign which could explain why he is only averaging 0.3 tackles, 0.6 interceptions and 0.7 clearances per game in the Premier League. However, he deserves some credit for being a tidy passer of the ball after completing 91.1 % of his attempted passes in the English top-flight (stats via whoscored).
Should Manchester City Boss Pep Guardiola Renew His Contract?
Kyle Walker is a tough tackling defender and can make some dangerous runs down the right flank. He excels at getting past the opposition’s backline and can cause enough trouble for his markers out in the wide areas. Furthermore, he remains an excellent passer of the ball as he can proficiently distribute possession to his teammates and can confidently play his way out from the back.
However, suffering from injuries quite often has brought him down the pecking order at the Etihad stadium. Although a few influential displays at the back for England helped him regain his confidence in the defensive third recently, still his long-term future at the club remains doubtful. The 32-year-old still has a couple of years left in him to play at the highest level but if Pep Guardiola decides to bring in a decent replacement then his place in the starting XI might very well be at risk.
It is safe to say that the Spanish tactician will not put him up for sale in January but the Mancunian giants could look at potential offers next summer. Moreover, a contract extension will certainly not be in play anytime soon as his current contract doesn’t expire until 2025, so Guardiola would definitely make use of his services for the remainder of the season before he decides what to do with him in the near future.
