The Man City team meetings that convinced Kyle Walker to stay amid Bayern Munich offer

Kyle Walker received an offer to join Bayern Munich this summer, but his reaction has convinced Pep Guardiola that the right-back should stay at Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola did everything he could to convince Kyle Walker to stay at Manchester City this summer but in the end it was his teammates who convinced the full-back not to join Bayern Munich. Walker received an offer to join Bayern after starting the Champions League final on the bench, but changed his mind after Guardiola and the Man City team got involved.

The 33-year-old signed a new contract on Thursday to stay at City until 2026. Guardiola said Walker’s performances in pre-season, when he captained the team for three their friendlies, and all but one after the start of the season , convinced him of his importance in the group, describing Walker’s qualities as a unique full-back in world football.

And when his teammates learned of Walker’s offer to join Bayern, Guardiola said they “asked” their leader not to leave, even arrangingameeting with Walker to defendtheschool their case.

“We spoke a lot, with his friends, with the club, after he madehisdecision,” Guardiola said. “Playing or not playing, Kyle from day one has been crucialto our success. Our success belongs to him interms of gamesplayed.

“I’m very sad not to let him play in the National League Final because with their preparation, I think Manu [Akanji] can help us. But look at the reaction since then in every pre-season game. Stick with the team. He made me aware of his importance, his behavior on and off the field.

“When I spoke to his teammates, they told me that Kyle cannot leave. Heis really important in the dressing room and he has taken a step forward with specific qualities that you cannot find anywherein the world.

“When Bayern Munich call you it is a big, big, big opportunity, there are no doubts about that. When I was 29, 30 years old I wanted to have an experience in another country, always I had that feeling so you have to respect it, but at the same time it was not the end of his contract, like Gundo, he had one or two more years and Bayern Munich have to call.

“And in that process we did our job to try to convince him to stay and the benefits to stay, and I promise you, because it was not just me, the club did too but especially it was his mates, they made a lot of meetings saying, ‘Kyle you cannot leave’ and they made him feel how much he is beloved by everyone and in the end he decided to stay.”

With captain Ilkay Gundogan leaving over the summer, as well as experienced winger Riyad Mahrez and defender Aymeric Laporte, Guardiola admitted that losing Walker as well would have been a big problem for the dynamics in the changing room, while the club were also pleased to keep Bernardo Silva and pen him down to a new contract.

He said: “It would have been a problem. Gundogan, we couldn’t retain him, Riyad we lost when we didn’t expect it. Losing Bernardo and Kyle would have been a big, big problem.

“It’s not about substituting the quality – you can find players with similar skills – but there is something in the locker rooms that is so difficult to replace. You need time for that. These guys have experience in important moments, in important games. You know how they’re going to respond in the bad moments to make a step forward. It would have been a big, big loss which is why as a club we fought hard.”

While Walker will be 36 when his new contract expires – breaking a general contract rule not to offer long-term extensions to older players – Guardiola said that Walker’s physicality means that as long as he is settled in his personal life, the club have no concerns over his fitness over the next three years.

“His mind is there and he has genetics like few players I have seen with all the conditions,” the manager said. “As much as he enjoys his life, it will not be a problem.

“Since day one we had a relationship because I know his character is there but he always accepts everything, he always tries to listen and as long as Kyle is focused, settled and his family life is there *puffs out cheeks*, he’s incredible, he’s an incredible player.”