-Credit:2024 Visionhaus
Gary Neville believes Kyle Walker’s request to leave Manchester City might have come because is struggling to keep up with the mental and physical demands of Premier League football.
The City captain has told director of football Txiki Begiristain that he wants to leave the club this month amid interest from AC Milan. Walker hasn’t been involved in the games against Salford City and Brentford since making his desire to depart clear.
Walker remains the club captain, although he hasn’t taken the armband when coming off the bench in recent games and he has had a difficult season, with his form deserting him amid fitness battles, with the City squad stretched to breaking point.
READ MORE: Man United finally get green light to complete January transfer as loan deal agreed
READ MORE: Man United transfer news LIVE – Garnacho ‘agreement’, Rashford blow, Hjulmand tipped
Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Neville said Walker’s desire to leave was likely to be linked the fact he has had a difficult campaign.
“He’s captain of the team, it’s midway through a challenging season. When I saw that he had asked to leave, he’s got a good relationship with the manager – but I reckon he said he’s just done,” he said.
“At City, the demands of Pep Guardiola and playing at that level, I think he thinks that he can’t do it anymore at this level and just wants to get out. Mentally and physically, he just looks beaten – that’s just what I feel, I don’t know.”
Roy Keane claimed that Walker’s off-field issues might now be affecting his form, with his private life often splashed across the front of newspapers and in gossip columns.
Keane also said City should see his demand to leave as purely a business deal, having extracted good value for players leaving the club in recent seasons.
“A lot of players have off the pitch issues – not just Kyle Walker – and eventually it does catch up with your performance on the pitch and it takes its toll on you,” he said.
“I have no problem with a player saying that he needs a change, but in the middle of the season when your team are struggling – I would just bide my time. I still think Manchester City will look at this as a business deal.
“It is affecting his game now – I think it has taken its toll. Other players have been under huge pressure, whether it be Wayne Rooney or David Beckham, they get on with it and the best place for them to be is the football pitch.
“For other players, the pressure piles on them and then their performances are affected. I think Pep will look after him, but whether that’ll mean letting him go on the cheap, I don’t know.”
Gary Neville and Roy Keane as speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet