Pep gets his man as Walker signs
ENGLAND RIGHTBACK TO DOUBLE SALARY Massive fee has eclipsed that of David Luiz in 2014.
Kyle Walker became the world’s most expensive defender yesterday when Manchester City clinched his signature for a fee of up to £54 million for the spring-heeled Tottenham rightback.
The 27-year-old England international, who joined Spurs alongside Kyle Naughton in 2009 for £9m from Sheffield United, has cost an initial £45m with another £5m due in a year’s time and £4m due in add-ons, according to The Times.
That has broken the record £50m paid by Paris St Germain to Chelsea for Brazilian defender David Luiz in 2014, while eclipsing the £49m forked out by City to Liverpool for Raheem Sterling in 2015, the most for an English player.
Walker, who has 27 England caps, will earn a reported £150 000 a week – doubling his Tottenham wages.
He established himself as the first choice rightback at Spurs under Mauricio Pochettino, but their relationship deteriorated after a training ground bust-up towards the end of last season.
Kieran Trippier was selected ahead of Walker in both the FA Cup semifinal against Chelsea and then in the north London derby with bitter enemies Arsenal the following week.
Walker’s arrival will be expensive consolation for Guardiola after missing out on veteran Brazilian defender Dani Alves, who snubbed his former Barcelona boss to join PSG on a free transfer following his departure from Juventus.
Guardiola failed to win a trophy as a manager for the first time in his career last season, admitting that at a bigger club like Barcelona or Bayern Munich he could have faced the sack.
Guardiola will not be done with flexing the financial muscle of the Abu Dhabi-owned club as he is also keen to lure Monaco defender Benjamin Mendy for £40m.
The 22-year-old French international leftback will complete Guardiola’s expensive rebuilding of his defence having let experienced fullbacks Pablo Zabaleta, Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy leave at the end of last season.
Should he succeed in also signing Mendy it would take his close-season spending to over £168m. Monaco’s Portuguese midfielder Bernardo Silva and Benfica goalkeeper Ederson joined last month for a total of £78m.
Guardiola has still to resolve the future of England goalkeeper Joe Hart, although it looks like he will join West Ham on loan with City paying a substantial amount of his wages.
Former French international Samir Nasri is another player Guardiola is looking to offload after sending the 30-year-old out on loan to Spanish side Sevilla last season. – AFP