Man City have reportedly opened talks with Tottenham over a move for Kyle Walker, as Pep Guardiola eyes another key addition to his squad.
After releasing the likes of Pablo Zabaleta and Bacary Sagna this summer, the need for a right-sided defender has never been more apparent for City.
According to BBC Sport, after weeks of speculation, talks have now begun between City and Tottenham over Walker, although it’s added that negotiations are at an early stage and no fee has been agreed as of yet.
Nevertheless, it’s finally a major step towards seeing the England international leave Spurs, which will be a blow to Mauricio Pochettino who would have undoubtedly hoped to keep all of his top players at the club moving forward.
However, the loss of Walker will be softened by the fact that Kieran Tripper impressed last season, and the report adds that he’ll get a new five-year contract which suggests that Tottenham are ready to show their faith in him and allow him to emerge as Walker’s direct replacement.
Regardless though, losing Walker will be a setback for Tottenham as he’s made 183 Premier League appearances for the club since 2009, playing a fundamental role in their success over the last two seasons during which Spurs have made progress in their bid to win silverware.
Having fallen short though, it looks as though Walker will now chase it elsewhere, while he may not be the only arrival to fill the void left at right-back at the Etihad.
BBC Sport add that Dani Alves is also on the radar after he confirmed his exit from Juventus on Thursday, and it would seemingly be a perfect blend of experience and energy for Guardiola to have depth and quality to compete on various fronts next season.