Pep Guardiola says he was delighted to see James McAtee score a hat-trick in the FA Cup win over Salford, calling the star “a special, talented player”.
McAtee was named player of the match after his second-inning treble sent the Blues through to the fourth round of the competition.
The Athletic reports that Pep Guardiola has come up with an explanation. “Kyle has asked to explore the possibility of playing abroad”
Kyle Walker is the captain of Manchester City. When Salford City turned up in the third round of the FA Cup, he didn’t even get a place on the bench, and the veteran was absent from the squad.
According to Paul Hirst, journalist for The Times, the 34-year-old was neither ill nor injured, but coach Pep Guardiola’s choice was described as “tactical”. The local newspaper Manchester Evening News also stated that it was a joke.
Yesterday, Friday, Guardiola was asked if there was Saudi interest in Walken, to which the Spaniard replied “I don’t know”. The Sun has stated that Al Nassr, Al-Ahli and Al-Ittihad have the 34-year-old on their radar.
“Two days ago, Kyle asked to explore the possibility of playing abroad and ending his career,” the Spaniard said, according to The Athletic journalist Oliver Kay.
Walker has played for Manchester City since 2017 and has made 319 appearances for the club, scoring 6 goals and providing 23 assists. The full-back’s contract runs until the summer of 2026.
The veteran has previously played for Tottenham in his career. He has also managed to make 93 senior appearances for England.
