Kyle Walker reveals the rival Premier League club who tried to sign him before Man City move
How different things could have been.
Kyle Walker revealed he was close to joining one rival Premier League club shortly before his move to Manchester City.
After a stellar Premier League career – first at Tottenham and then with City – Walker has established himself as one of the league’s best-ever full-backs.
The England international broke into the Tottenham first team in 2011 and went on to become an ever-present cog in Spurs’ defence before his £45 million switch to City.
The 34-year-old has since gone on to win six league titles at the Etihad and become the club’s captain at the start of last season.
However, Walker’s trajectory could have been completely different, with the Englishman revealing that another rival side were interested in signing him just before he joined City.
‘At that time [just before I joined City], Chelsea was definitely wanting me,’ Walker said on the latest episode of You’ll Never Beat Kyle Walker.
However, the defender said that two key factors would have prevented him making the switch across London to join the Blues.
‘With everything that went on over the last number of years with us battling for the titles and battle at the Bridge as well, I didn’t fancy going there because I have a lot of respect for Tottenham and I didn’t really want to be the next Sol Campbell,’ he said.
‘I didn’t want to do that.’
Earlier this summer, however, Walker did almost pull the curtain down on his City career when Bayern Munich approached him with a lucrative offer.
Ultimately, the defender chose to sign a new, improved deal to remain in England but, at the time, admitted it was a close call.
‘It was close but in football, things can happen. Decisions can be made. Things can turn. It wasn’t meant to be,’ he said.
‘Would I have enjoyed the experience? Of course I would have done. But this club is a great club and you can’t underestimate what this club has done in the last six or seven years.
“In the back of my head I always wanted to play for Man City, but I had to do what was right for me and my future and that was just whichever club gave me the most years.’
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