Manchester City and Pep Guardiola Eye Super Eagles Star As Replacement for Kyle Walker
- Manchester City are going through a poor run of form in the Premier League, with two wins in 15 games
- One of the notable problems faced by Pep Guardiola is injury and an ageing squad which is past their prime
- England international defender Kyle Walker is one of the old players in the team who needs to be replaced
Manchester City and Pep Guardiola are eyeing a Super Eagles defender as a replacement for an ageing member of the team who is past his prime and needs to be replaced.
Guardiola is going through the worst form of his managerial career, which began in 2008 at FC Barcelona and currently has Man City sitting seventh on the Premier League table.
Source: Getty Images
As noted by Premier League, City's 2-0 win over Leicester City was their second in 15 games, coinciding with Pep Guardiola’s 500th game in charge and summer signing Savinho’s first goal for the club.
Injuries to Ballon d'Or winner Rodri and poor performances from other ageing players, including Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker, have not helped the manager.
City eye Aina to replace Walker
Walker, 34, has declined in athleticism and power this season, which are his two key attributes that have made him one of the weak links on the struggling Man City side.
According to English tabloid Sun Sport, the champions have identified Super Eagles defender Ola Aina as the replacement for the 93 cals England international.
Aina, 28, has arguably been the best right-back in the league this season, steering Nottingham Forest into second place on the Premier League table and scoring his first two goals.
City's interest is a reward for the hardworking defender who has rightfully earned his shot at a big club after failing to break into the first team at Chelsea after 12 years at the club.
He left Chelsea to join Torino permanently in 2019, returning to English football with Fulham on loan in 2020 and returning to Nottingham Forest after four years in the Italian Serie A.
The English-born Nigerian star has found a new form under Nuno Espirito Santo, who saved the club from relegation last season and pushed them into title contenders this season.
As noted by Transfermarkt, Aina, valued at €14 million, scored two goals this season, both of which were long-range efforts, and picked up just two yellow cards in 19 games.
Forest will be unwilling to let him leave in the middle of the season, particularly as they are having a fantastic run, but it could open up an opportunity for the summer transfer window.
A Nigerian journalist, who asked not to be named due to the policy of his workplace, shared his thoughts on the rumoured interest, describing it as a reward for hard work.
“Nigerian players in European football have been brilliant in the past years, and this is the time to get their deserved big moves. Aina particularly has earned his stripes and getting a move to City is a reward. Hopefully, Forest will see it as such and let him leave in good accord,” he told Legit.ng.
Why Aina left Chelsea
Legit.ng reported that Ola Aina explained why he left Chelsea years after he took the big decision to leave his boyhood club in search of an adventure in the Italian league.
He admitted he hesitated to make the move, but his desire to one day play in Italy prompted him to jump ship even though he struggled with leaving his family behind in London.
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Source: Legit.ng
