Kyle Walker exit plans and Jack Grealish’s form – Every Word from part two of Pep Guardiola’s post-Salford press conference | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola has discussed in further depth the situation surrounding Kyle Walker and the England international’s desire to leave Manchester City this month.

The 34-year-old was absent from the Premier League champions’ matchday squad in the club’s opening round of the FA Cup, allowing for a wide range of Academy graduates to shine for Pep Guardiola’s side.

While the official line from within the club was that Walker’s absence was purely tactical, the Manchester City manager admitted in his post-match debrief and the open section of the media address that the defender had requested to leave the club.

It is now understood that the vastly experienced right-back is keen to explore his options abroad during the final years of his top-level professional career, with AC Milan believed to be the frontrunners for his signature at the moment.

Speaking after Manchester City’s 8-0 win over Salford City in the FA Cup third round, here is every single word from part two of Pep Guardiola’s post-match debrief with reporters at the Etihad Stadium!

On whether he or Manchester City are willing to let Kyle Walker leave in January

“Listen, I explained what I explained and I won’t go further than that. Now is a question of the market, a question of he’s an incredible player with incredible physicality, when he’s focussed he’s unstoppable as a right-back. He’s a top class player!

“If he’s fit and his mind is in there, he can play one, two, three, four more years as a professional, because I’ve never seen a player with this physical condition in my career.

“And of course I never, never, never ever, the desire for one player, but the other option is you have to be in agreement with the clubs, and in that, I’m sorry, never, ever have I was involved, never ever, with all the players. Never.”

On not wanting any Manchester City players to leave this month

“I think I was clear all the time; if he wants to explore, the club are going to explore, and he has to decide, not me! I’m sorry, it’s not my decision.”

On Jack Grealish and the importance of scoring against Salford

“Yeah, of course (it was a big deal). And he made a first assist, assisting for the last one with (James) McAtee. I know he’s a player that doesn’t do that, but of course hopefully it can help him because of course, when the players who play up front, they have to deliver.

“But not just him; (Jeremy) Doku, and Savinho, and Erling Haaland, and Kevin (De Bruyne) when he plays there, and Bernardo (Silva) when he plays there, and (Ilkay) Gundo when he plays there – they have to score goals, and assists, and goals, and assists, and goals!

“Otherwise if you have to rely just on the goals with Erling Haaland, it’s impossible. The biggest clubs who win the championships or win the championships for many years, the reason was the striker scores goals – in the past with Sergio (Aguero), with Gabriel (Jesus), with everyone – but also Riyad (Mahrez), and Leroy (Sane), and Raheem (Sterling), and Gundogan.

“It was a lot of players scoring a lot of goals, and we need that. Otherwise we cannot sustain.”

On the lack of a goal for so long affecting Jack Grealish

“Of course I am really pleased. I want the best for my players! All of them! I want them to perform well, I want it, and if it helps him I’m more than pleased. There is no other person I can be. But at the end, they have to deliver; but not just him.

“It’s not to point at Jack (Grealish), absolutely, it’s many years I’ve said that. I saw him in the year of the Treble for example, he was a main, main player for us, but after that he has more or less two options; think about it’s me, or think about what I can do better. Not Jack, EVERYONE.

“Because I know what’s their best, all the players that we have here, I know their best. It helped us to win what we won, but that is the reality.”

On whether Kyle Walker will continue to be not selected whilst his future remains uncertain

“I don’t know. It depends on how he is going to train. I don’t know. (But he is the captain as well?) I cannot answer that question, it depends on him. It was today. (So the door is not closed on him returning into the team?) The situation is different now, of course. But the transfer window will finish when it finishes, and I don’t know what’s going to happen.”