According to Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, defender Kyle Walker may struggle to regain his place in the team due to his inability to play effectively within the current system.
The 32-year-old has only started two of City’s last seven matches, with his teammate John Stones being preferred in a new role as an inverted full-back, where he moves into central midfield alongside Rodri.
Guardiola explained that playing in this position requires specific movements that Walker may not be able to execute.
Although Walker possesses other characteristics, such as pace, that make him valuable to the team, Guardiola believes he needs more time to adapt to this new role, which is not currently available.
“Playing in an inside position requires some specific movements that Kyle Walker may struggle to execute,”Guardiola said.
“He (Walker) does possess other valuable characteristics, such as his speed, which he will likely maintain even when he is 60 years old and still be the fastest in the room.”
Despite this, Guardiola offered Walker hope of returning to the team by citing the progress made by his teammate Nathan Ake, and encouraged all players in the squad to stay prepared for their opportunities.
Walker has made 238 appearances for City since his 45 Million Euros move from Tottenham Hotspur in 2017.