- The Manchester City captain was absent from Saturday’s FA Cup contest
- Pep Guardiola cast doubt on Walker’s future at the reigning league champions
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The reason behind Kyle Walker‘s surprise omission from Manchester City‘s matchday squad for Saturday’s FA Cup clash against minnows Salford has been revealed as Pep Guardiola cast doubt over the star’s future.
Walker was not named in City’s team that arrived at the Etihad to take on Gary Neville and Class of 92′ backed Salford who were hoping to cause a shock third round upset in the competition.
The 34-year-old suffered a career-worst patch of form at City during the side’s end of year struggles and now finds himself on the periphery of Guardiola’s squad.
Walker has managed nine starts in 15 Premier League games for City this season, but has dropped out of the team in recent weeks.
He was expected to be given a chance to regain some confidence in the FA Cup clash with lower league rivals, Salford.
However, the City captain was instead amongst a number of names dropped for the encounter despite Guardiola revealing that the England international is fully fit to play.
The reason behind Kyle Walker s surprise omission from Man City’s squad has been revealed
Walker has suffered a difficult run of form at City during the side’s end of year struggles
Pep Guardiola appeared to cast doubt over Walker’s future at the club amid Saudi Arabia links
The City head coach instead explained Walker’s absence was ‘tactical’ as his side sought to kick-start their FA Cup journey having reached the final in consecutive years.
Questions have swirled surrounding Walker’s future in Manchester amidst issues both on and off the field and the right-back has been linked with a potential move to join a Saudi Pro League side.
Rico Lewis has edged ahead of Walker in the City pecking order and the club could dip into the market to fund new defensive signings in the January transfer window.
When asked about Walker’s future at the club, Guardiola refused to get involved and replied: ‘I don’t know’.
The six-time Premier League champion signed a fresh three-year deal with the club lasting until 2026 only last year but could leave early amidst questions over his form.
Walker has recently look short of the usual pace that his career and skillset have so heavily relied on.
Guardiola could greenlight a sale to avoid the iconic title-winner running down his contract on the sidelines.
The pair have previously shared a healthy relationship during City’s years of dominance, but Walker has previously flirted with the idea of leaving the club he initially joined from Spurs.
Bayern Munich had expressed prior to the start of City going on to win a seventh Premier League crown of Guardiola’s legendary reign, but opted to renew terms with the English champions instead.
Walker has dropped out of Man City’s side amid the club captain’s dip in from this season
Meanwhile, several of his similarly celebrated former team-mates have made lavish switches to Saudi Arabia with Riyad Mahrez amongst the cohort of ex-Premier League stars being rewarded with huge salaries.
Walker could decide to eventually follow them to the oil-rich nation, however, doing so would likely end his association with the England national team ahead of next year’s World Cup.
Man City are poised to make defensive additions during the January transfer window.
A £35m deal for Lens centre-back Abdukodir Khusanov is being finalised, while City are also in talks for Palmeiras defender Vitor Reis.
