Manchester City captain Kyle Walker has expressed his desire to extend his Premier League run for as long as possible but did not rule out a potential switch to Saudi Arabia. The England skipper also revealed he saw the appeal of Saudi soccer and acknowledged Cristiano Ronaldo’s contribution in making it a viable option for even the most elite players in Europe.
Saudi Arabia Has Lured Some Of The Most Talented Players Away From Europe
In January 2023, five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo penned a two-and-a-half-year contract with Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr, sending shockwaves around the world. Over the last 14 months, many top players have followed Ronaldo to the desert, joining not only Al-Nassr but also Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad, and Al-Ahli, among others.
Last summer, Karim Benzema left Real Madrid as a free agent to join Al-Ittihad. N’Golo Kante also joined the reigning Saudi champions after running down his Chelsea contract. Ex-Liverpool ace Sadio Mane linked up with Ronaldo around the same time while Neymar became the most expensive signing in Saudi Pro League history when he joined Al-Hilal from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for a €90 million ($98.39 million) fee.
Many top stars, including Luka Modric, Romelu Lukaku, Mohamed Salah, and Walker are reportedly on Saudi clubs’ radar for the upcoming summer, and the Manchester City man does not have reservations about the move.
Manchester City Ace Walker Discusses Potential Saudi Arabia Switch
Discussing a potential move to Saudi Arabia on the FIVE podcast, Walker said:
“I’ll never say never. The money that they’re paying and everything is obviously a massive factor in why they’re going out there. (Cristiano) Ronaldo opened the pathway for everyone to go there.
“If they keep attracting the player they’re attracting the league will get better so why wouldn’t you want to go?
He, however, quickly put City fans’ minds at ease by confirming he wanted to continue playing in the Premier League for the foreseeable future.
“But for me the Premier League is the best league in the world so I want to compete in this league for as long as possible and as high as possible.”
Walker, 33, has played 291 games for City in all competitions, scoring six times and providing 21 assists. The five-time Premier League winner’s contract expires in June 2026.
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