Manchester City to open talks over £40m deal for Kyle Walker as early as Wednesday – report – City Watch

Manchester City are finally set to open talks with Tottenham over a potential deal for England right-back Kyle Walker this week, Sky Sports is reporting.

Walker is one of Pep Guardiola’s main targets for the summer and perhaps the most needed with experienced right-backs Pablo Zabaleta and Bacary Sagna released with their contracts expiring this summer.

And Sky Sports has learned that City’s approach for Sheffield-born Walker could come as early as Wednesday following England’s international against France on Tuesday.

Guardiola is confident of landing Walker with City hoping to pay as little over £40 million as possible. Spurs, who handed Walker a new five-year deal last September, are under no great pressure to sell the England international and value him at closer to £50 million.

The £10 million difference in valuation is similar to the Raheem Sterling situation several years ago, where a compromise was found on a lower base fee with future add-ons, and a similar deal could be struck here.

Walker has been unhappy at not being selected for certain games by coach Mauricio Pochettino and would like a move, but will not agitate for one out of respect for the club he has spent the last eight years of his career at.