Manchester City full-back Kyle Walker has confirmed he is set to sign a new contract at the Etihad Stadium after coming “close” to leaving for Bayern Munich during the transfer window.
Braced for the eventual departure of Benjamin Pavard, Bayern reached out to Walker about a switch to Munich and it appeared as though the England international was set to make the move, only for City to battle relentlessly and ultimately convince him to stay and enter into talks over an extension.
Looking back at the talks with Bayern, Walker confessed: “It was close but in football things can happen. Decisions can be made, things can turn. It wasn’t meant to be.
“Would I have enjoyed the experience? Of course I would, but this is a great club and you can’t underestimate what this club has done in the last six or seven years. Why should I walk away if I am going to get enough game time that’s right for me? That is all I want.
“It was about who gave me the most years. It wasn’t like I was going to a worse club because Bayern Munich is a massive club and seeing what Harry [Kane] is doing there and will do, it wasn’t a step down.
“In the back of my head I always wanted to play for Manchester City but I had to do what was right for me and my future. It was just about which club gave me the years in my contract to play football at the highest level.”
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Walker went on to reveal he is set to sign an extension to his City contract which 90min understands will tie him to the reigning Premier League champions until 2026.
“The extension is coming,” said Walker. “It’s my seventh season here and I feel like one of the old ones. I love the place. I’ve experienced things I only dreamt of here – especially the last season – so why would you want to leave a club like this?”
In an interview with The Times, Walker revealed how manager Pep Guardiola convinced him to stay at the Etihad.
“I have a really good relationship with Pep and he was kind enough to invite me out for food,” Walker recalled. “He paid the bill, for once!
“It was good to know his plans for the future and for this season and what he wants to do. Being one of the senior members – and standing in the captaincy – it was important to get Pep’s views and put my view of what the lads feel for the season coming forward.”
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On this edition of Talking Transfers, part of the 90min podcast network, Scott Saunders is joined by Toby Cudworth, Graeme Bailey and Sean Walsh to discuss the deals that did and didn’t happen on deadline day. They talk over Ryan Gravenberch’s move to Liverpool, why Joao Palhinha didn’t join Bayern Munich, Sofyan Amrabat’s loan to Man Utd and more.
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