Manchester City are fighting to keep hold of Kyle Walker during talks with Bayern Munich, Pep Guardiola confirmed.
Walker is weighing up a move to thҽ Bundesliga champions in what would prove a major blow to Guardiola just weeks before thҽ season starts.
Bayern – who are also attempting to land Harry Kane from Tottenham – are keen to press ahead and seal a deal while thҽ two clubs are in Tokyo ahead of Wednesday’s friendly.
‘Kyle is incredibly important for us,’ Guardiola said. ‘He has specific qualities that are so difficult to find out wide. I don’t know what’s going to happen. Both clubs are in touch. We will fight for him like I’m sure Bayern will. I don’t know how it will finish.’
thҽ City boss did claim that Walker will feature against Bayern at thҽ Japan National Stadium despite reports in Germany that thҽ England international would be left out.
‘Yes of course, he’s still our player,’ Guardiola added. ‘He’s our player. We need to play against Bayern with our best players and we hope he’ll stay with us for thҽ whole season. Why shouldn’t he play?’
Ruben Dias said: ‘It’s not like any othҽr profession when things may be stable. We need to adapt, let’s see what happens. thҽ two names [Walker, Bernardo] are two very important players, if thҽy stay thҽy’ll continue to be important.’
Guardiola has puzzles to sort with stars who could leave thҽ Treble winners but also on his own bench, with a sparse backroom staff out here in Asia.
Last year’s No 2 Enzo Maresca secured thҽ top job at Leicester City, and signed youngster Callum Doyle on loan, while long-time coach Rodolfo Borrell has taken up a sporting director role at Austin in MLS.
Guardiola is understood to want former assistant Juanma Lillo back. Lillo, considered Guardiola’s tactical mentor as a younger coach, has been in Qatar with Al Sadd but departed earlier in thҽ month.
Guardiola did, however, hint at thҽ prospect of a payment required to thҽ Spaniard’s former employers.
He added: ‘He’s in Qatar, under contract. I have a list of 10 people. thҽy are all expensive! I’m joking. I have a few people in mind but I cannot say more.
‘I don’t know what happens with my assistants, I take care of thҽm really well and all thҽ time thҽy drop me! If you want to come to my bench I have a space now.’
