THERE IS A PEP IN OUR STEP Guardiola disciple Kyle’s raring to roar in Russia

KYLE WALKER believes Manchester City’s success under Pep Guardiola will benefit England at this summer’s World Cup finals in Russia.

He is one of four City title winners in the England squad – John Stones, Fabian Delph and Raheem Sterling are the others.

And as the Three Lions prepare for Saturday’s friendly against Nigeria at Wembley, Walker said: “This season has been a dream come true in winning the Premier League.

“Hopefully, me, John, Delphy and Raz can bring that into the camp and take that winning mentality into Russia.

“John and I said in the first week of training, ‘Imagine driving down the Princess Parkway in Manchester as Premier League champions’.

“Well, we did it. And the style of football with which we did it was great and we have shown you can play football like that and win the Premier League.

“So it’s good coming here with England, knowing you won the title. I’ve been dreaming about that since I was a little boy.” Walker, who turns 28 tomorrow, is understandably still on a high after his first season at City, following a £50million move from Tottenham last summer.

And the defender added: “As a player, you don’t put a price tag on your head. That is up to the chairmen of the clubs involved.

“Some people saw it as a lot of money, so there was a bit of proving people wrong.

“And I joined a manager in Pep who makes you feel like you are the best player in the world when you go on the field and that gives you some confidence.

“Pep has taught me so much, but he’s also happy to sit down and talk to you about anything.

“I feel like he’s a friend, but the players have that respect for him as a fantastic manager. He has worked with two other right-backs in Dani Alves and Philipp Lahm who are two of my idols.

“They are two completely different players, so I have tried to take a bit from both of them to become the complete right-back – that’s what I am striving to become. “But I have also played in a three-at-the-back system and also played as a central defender at Sheffield United and for England Under-19s.

“I still consider myself to be a right-back, it’s my preferred position. But as long as I am on the field at the World Cup, then I’m completely happy to play anywhere.” Walker has come a long way to get to the top. He said: “Ten years ago, I went to Northampton in League One on loan from Sheffield United. I followed my mum and dad down to Northampton, because I’d never driven on a motorway before.

“The players there must have thought, ‘Who’s this kid who needs his mum and dad with him?’.

“But it was a massive opportunity for me to show what I could do and

I played 13 first-team games.

“Now, I’m part of an England team taking huge steps in the right direction – and I’m one of