Soccer

Kyle Walker becomes world’s most expensive defender

The right-back’s switch from Spurs to Man City is for a record-breaking £53 million

Manchester City have announced the signing of England right-back Kyle Walker from Tottenham. Photo: Adam Davy/PA Wire

Fri Jul 14 2017 - 16:08

Manchester City have completed the signing of Kyle Walker from Tottenham Hotspur in a deal worth up to £53m that makes the 27-year-old right-back the world's most expensive defender.

With the £3m add-ons the transfer eclipses the £50m Paris Saint-Germain paid for Chelsea's David Luiz in 2014 and also ensures Walker becomes the costliest English player of all time.

"I am thrilled to be signing for City and can't wait to get started," Walker said. "Pep Guardiola is one of the most respected managers in the world and I feel he can help me take my game to a new level. What a manager to work under! I'm excited, a little bit nervous, I'm not going to lie.

“It’s the next chapter in my career where I can go on and learn. I think I’m at a good age now where I’m probably at the peak of my career. I just want to learn and try to be the best player I can be. I haven’t had a deep conversation with him yet, but he is very positive. He says I’m going to fit into his style of play really well. The main thing we both said is about winning trophies. It’s a massive club, it’s a great team, great set of players and we need to battle to win things.”

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After Dani Alves joined PSG earlier in the week, the England international was the City manager Pep Guardiola's No1 right-back target and the Spurs chairman, Daniel Levy, forced his Premier League rivals to go above their £40m valuation.

Txiki Begiristain, City’s director of football, said: “Kyle is a fine full-back, one capable of producing quality at both ends of the pitch. We’ve followed his progress at Tottenham and have been really impressed by how he has developed. He is now one of the best right-backs in the Premier League and justifiably an England regular. I am sure he will be a success at Manchester City this season and beyond.”

(Guardian service)

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