Kyle Walker discusses his future at Manchester City and outlines a new Premier League goal
Kyle Walker Discusses Future at Manchester City and Sets New Premier League Ambitions
Manchester City Defender Kyle Walker
Kyle Walker aims to remain with Manchester City next season, targeting a fifth consecutive Premier League title as the club seeks to cap off another historic season with a significant win.
Pep Guardiola’s team clinched the league title by defeating Arsenal by two points, securing victory against West Ham on the final day. On Saturday, they face Manchester United in the FA Cup Final, aiming to become the first English team to achieve a double Double. Having already won the Super Cup and Club World Cup this season, Walker, who is serving as club captain for the first time, hopes to lift his fourth trophy of the season if City can live up to their favorite status.
It’s been a remarkable turnaround for Walker, who lost his spot in the team in the latter half of last season and was benched for the Champions League final. Despite this, he gave an inspiring speech to his teammates and later came off the bench to help secure the win. Nearly transferring to Bayern Munich last summer, Walker decided to stay with City, signing a three-year deal and playing more games this season than since 2018/19.
“I’ll play as long as I can,” Walker said. “I love this job; I never wake up dreading it. Playing football is my happy place. I still believe I can contribute more to the team, even if I might not play as much as I’d like. It’s up to the manager to decide who plays, but I feel great and will continue as long as possible.”
Walker is confident about City’s future: “When we return for pre-season, it might take a few days to shake off the cobwebs, but we’ll be ready to defend our title. Why not aim for five in a row?”
This season, Walker has also embraced his role as club captain. Many expected Kevin De Bruyne to take on the role, but Walker has risen to the challenge, motivating his teammates throughout a particularly tough season following their Treble win. Sharing the Premier League trophy moment with the squad was a special highlight for him.
“It’s been hard, especially when you’re not playing regularly, but it’s rewarding to represent the club,” Walker reflected. “Coming off the high of winning the Treble is challenging, but senior players like me, Kevin, Bernardo Silva, John Stones, and Ederson know how to handle it. We wanted to win for new players like Mateo Kovacic and Josko Gvardiol, who hadn’t experienced it before. Celebrating with them was a proud moment.”
Walker relishes his role at City: “Captaining this team is an honor. Winning the Super Cup, Club World Cup, and hopefully the FA Cup this Saturday would make this a perfect year.”
To achieve that, City must overcome rivals United, who have had a tough season. City has dominated the derbies this year with a 6-1 aggregate score and finished 31 points ahead in the league. With Guardiola’s future uncertain, City aims to continue their success, while United faces a managerial dilemma after their worst-ever Premier League finish.
Reflecting on City’s dominance, Walker said, “We’ve set incredibly high standards, and I hope this era continues while I’m here. We need to cherish these times and keep pushing forward. Our motivation is clear: to achieve historic feats like the double Double and continue our legacy. We’re building a dynasty, and we want it to last.”
Walker notes the shift in fan support: “When I first joined, you saw many United shirts around, but now City shirts are everywhere. We’ve shifted the balance, and we need to maintain it. The great United and Liverpool teams did it for years; now it’s our turn. Let’s keep it going.”
