According to media reports, FC Bayern is working on a real transfer coup: Kyle Walker is to switch from triple winner Manchester City to Munich.
What’s the standing in the poker? What does FC Bayern want with Walker? And how realistic is a change anyway? sport.de answers the most important questions about personnel.
What is the status in transfer poker?
Thomas Tuchel is said to have made initial contacts with Kyle Walker around the away game in the Champions League quarter-finals at Manchester City. Even then, according to “Bild”, it was about a possible move to Munich.
In the past few weeks, FC Bayern has stepped up its efforts. Concrete negotiations with the Sky Blues about a transfer are apparently already underway. Because: Walker is tied to ManCity until 2024. According to “Sky”, FC Bayern would loosen 20 to 30 million euros for a commitment.
However, the Munich team is far from having won the battle for the 75-time England international. According to the Daily Mail, Walker is also in talks with his current employer about extending his contract. There is also interest from his youth club Sheffield United and from Saudi Arabia.
What does FC Bayern want with Kyle Walker?
On the defensive, FC Bayern is threatened with an XXL upheaval this summer. In addition to Lucas Hernández, who would like to move to Paris Saint-Germain, Benjamin Pavard is also moving away from Munich.
The 27-year-old Frenchman has been used more often in his favorite position in the center of defense in recent months. His departure would also leave a gap at right back – even if there are still three trained right-backs in the squad with Noussair Mazraoui, Josip Stanisic and Bouna Sarr.
Compared to the trio, however, Walker would be a clear qualitative upgrade. The 33-year-old veteran not only has a lot of experience at the highest level.
Despite his advanced age as a footballer, he is a real rocket: Opta’s statistics recorded a top speed of 37.71 km/h for Walker in the past Premier League season – the best value in England’s top division. BVB professional Karim Adeyemi, the fastest player in the 2022/2023 Bundesliga at 36.65 km/h, is easily ahead of Walker.
Under Pep Guardiola, his previously expandable work against the ball has also improved significantly. Walker is now also a bank in terms of build-up play.
Record national player Lothar Matthäus praised the possible transfer in his “Sky” column. Walker is “a machine on the right side,” said the 62-year-old.
How realistic is a move from Kyle Walker to Bayern Munich?
Hard to say. While the German media is already talking about an agreement between FC Bayern and the player, it is leaking from England that Walker would like to stay at ManCity.
Both a move to Munich and Walker only using the interest of the German record champions to improve his starting position in negotiations with the Sky Blues seem conceivable.
The city management should not go to the extreme in the contract talks. Although Guardiola appreciates Walker, in recent weeks his team has repeatedly started in a 3-2-4-1 formation without the right-back – including in the Champions League final against Inter Milan (1-0) as Walker only eight minutes when Joker was used.
That could significantly increase the chances of a Bayern transfer coup.
Tobias Knoop