Kyle Walker will be 35-years-old by the end of the current season, so it's no surprise Pep Guardiola is already thinking about who can replace him – and he may have found the perfect match.
Having served Manchester City admirably since joining from Tottenham Hotspur back in 2017, it would seem time is running out for Walker as he approaches the end of his playing career.
While his current contract runs through to 2026, it remains to be seen whether he can maintain his performance levels in line with Guardiola's demands for greatness, and the Spaniard has identified a replacement for Walker already.
That's according to former Spurs goalkeeper, Paul Robinson, at least, who told Football Insider's Inside Track podcast that City will have earmarked Pedro Porro as the successor to Walker.
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Robinson said: "He’s certainly one that is on the radar for Manchester City... A player like Porro would fit into that Manchester City team... When he plays in that hybrid role, he’s a player who often finds himself isolated up the pitch, high up the pitch, but his quality lies in the final third with his delivery, with his visions, with his passes.
"And he’s got great delivery as well and he’s not afraid to shoot. He’s definitely a player that you could see working in that Pep Guardiola system, as much as that pains me to say it."
However, City will likely find staunch opposition to such a move, with Spurs keen to keep hold of their star defender.
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Robinson added: "From Tottenham’s point of view, they are fighting tooth and nail to keep him. If they want to be competing in those Champions League places, you need players like that and you certainly don’t need to be selling, I’m going to say, to rivals."
Porro has previously been on the books at City from 2019 to 2022, but he never played a game for Guardiola's side and never even spoke to the manager there.
Perhaps he will remember that experience if an opportunity to return does come up in the near future, and decide he is better off staying with Spurs.
Topics: Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, Kyle Walker, Pep Guardiola