Sheffield United move for Kyle Walker hinges on one salary condition | OneFootball

The defender has been heavily linked with a return to his boyhood club.

As expected, there has been strong speculation around Kyle Walker's future following Burnley's relegation from the Premier League.

The right-back has made no secret about his desire to return to Sheffield United, having begun his career at Bramall Lane before going on to win it all in club football.

Walker only joined the Clarets last summer and has a year remaining on his contract at Turf Moor, but at 36, he has entered the twilight years of his career, with one final move in the offing.

Now, there has been an intriguing development on the defender's potential move to the Blades, and it seems that a transfer depends on one stipulation.

Kyle Walker must take pay cut to join Sheffield United

While Walker has often spoken about his desire to return to his boyhood club, it always felt like there would be one thing that could stand in the way: money.

The full-back has enjoyed an exceptional career in English football, winning every trophy possible with Manchester City, while reaching two international finals with England.

While his transfer to Burnley last summer was a sign of his decline, the Clarets were a Premier League club at the time, meaning the defender was on a top-flight salary.

Indeed, the prospect of Walker returning to Bramall Lane is remote unless he is willing to take a substantial cut from his current salary, according to The Star.

They report that the agreement he signed with Burnley last year would dwarf what United could offer him, even before the introduction of squad cost ratio (SCR) rules, which further limit how much Sheffield United can spend on players.

As things stand, it appears that the ball is very much in the defender's court, and if he is willing to make a significant pay cut, then a move would be impossible.

How much does Walker earn at Burnley?

Walker is currently earning an estimated £75,000 per week, which equates to a gross total of £4.88million per year, according to Capology.

That places the England international at the top of Burnley's wage bill and £20,000 per week ahead of their next top permanent earners, Josh Cullen and Lesley Ugochukwu.

But how do his wages compare to Sheffield United's players?

The Blades' highest earner is midfielder Kalvin Phillips, who earns an estimated £45,000 per week, although he is currently on loan from Man City.

After Phillips, Japhet Tanganga earns an estimated £35,000 per week, while Gus Hamer and Patrick Bamford both earn £30,000 per week.

If Walker were to move to Bramall Lane, it is highly likely that he would become the Blades' highest earner, and if we are using Phillips' wages as a benchmark, he may need to reduce his weekly wages by around £30,000.

That would obviously be a significant hit on what he is earning now, and there is every chance that Sheffield United would want to pay him even less than that.

With money the sticking point, it feels as if a decision on Walker's future will not come any time soon, and if he really wants to join his boyhood club, then he will have to take a significant financial hit.