Liverpool have been urged to launch a stunning move for wantaway Manchester City defender Kyle Walker, who would ‘get into’ Arsenal and Chelsea’s teams.
Man City boss Pep Guardiola confirmed on Saturday that Walker, 34, was interested in leaving the Premier League club during the January transfer window.
Walker, who has lifted six Premier League titles at the Etihad Stadium, was left out of the 8-0 FA Cup third-round win over League Two side Salford City despite City’s defensive injury crisis.
England right-back Walker has 18 months left of his contract but visited Manchester City director of football Txiki Begiristain to discuss a move away.
‘Two days ago Kyle asked to explore the options to play abroad,’ Guardiola said when asked about the City captain’s absence.
‘We cannot understand [what] the club did these years without Kyle. It’s impossible.
‘He’s been our right-back, giving us something we didn’t have. But now in his mind, for many reasons, he would like to explore if he can go to another country to play his last years.’
Asked whether he would permit to Walker to leave, Guardiola added ‘Of course. It doesn’t mean it’s going to happen because you never know the situation.
‘But I am pretty convinced there’s no-one in our job that doesn’t want to be there who can perform and be exactly what they want to be.’
Clubs in Saudi Arabia are interested in signing Walker, who has also emerged as a target for Serie A giants AC Milan.
But ex-Wales striker believes his former club Liverpool should make a sensational move for Walker as current Anfield right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold edges towards a departure.
Real Madrid are keen to bring Alexander-Arnold to the Bernabeu and expect to secure a deal despite Liverpool rejecting their £20m bid earlier in the window.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Saunders said: ‘Do you want me to chuck a spanner in the works? So it looks like Trent is leaving, why don’t Liverpool sign him [Kyle Walker]?
‘There you go, he’d be a good signing for Liverpool if Trent goes. I know they’ve got the young kid [Conor Bradley] coming through…
‘But Walker is still quick – and if Trent is leaving… Kyle Walker would get in Liverpool’s team, he’d get in Spurs’ team. He’d get in Man United’s team, he’d get in Chelsea’s team.
‘Would he get in Arsenal’s team? He’d get in Arsenal’s team. He’s better than [Ben] White!
‘Of course he could [make switch to Saudi Arabia], I just don’t think he is ready yet.
‘If he gets offered £600,000-a-week to go and play in Saudi, I’m not going to criticise him, that to me makes sense.
‘But if I’m a club in Italy or in Spain watching Kyle Walker… the pace of the English game, it’s the quickest league in the world.
‘Yes, he’s lost a yard of pace, but Kyle Walker’s pace is still a match for most in this league.
‘I think the fact that he [Guardiola] said he wants to go abroad, he’s done it in England, he’s won everything there is to win, go and do something abroad.
‘I get that, I see that, that shows bravery that he wants to go abroad and prove himself.’
Walker has made more than 300 appearances for Manchester City since joining the club from Tottenham in 2017.
As well as becoming a six-time Premier League winner, Walker has lifted the Champions League, two FA Cups and four League Cups.
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