Don’t blame Kyle Walker if huge Manchester City deal is dominating his thoughts, writes Danny Murphy

Walker walking? | Tottenham are prepared to listen to offers of around £35m for the full-back
Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images
Danny Murphy5 May 2017

When you are aware that another club want you, it can become the focus of your day rather than playing and training.

If Kyle Walker is the subject of interest from Manchester City, as has been reported, then he will know all about it. It is not an easy position to be in.

I was never in the situation of being wanted by a richer club — apart from when Liverpool signed me from Crewe, but that is not really comparable.

I didn’t want to leave Liverpool in 2004 but it was clear I needed to go to play regular football. When I left Charlton, Tottenham and Fulham, once again, it was because I needed to.

So Walker must feel good to be wanted by a club like City, who are trying to conquer Europe and are prepared to spend as much money as it takes to do it.

But it is still something that consumes players. If they want to move, they will be asking themselves questions constantly. Is it going to happen? What do I need to do to make it happen? Are my agent, family and friends giving me the right advice? Do I want to play for a certain manager? Am I doing the right thing by trying to leave?

Then there is the financial side. Walker would reportedly double his £70,000-a-week salary if City signed him. These days, there is an unbelievable difference in clubs’ wage structures and you would be stupid to ignore an offer like that. It means you can take care of your family and future life.

Among most players, I would like to believe there is still a strong desire to play for the best clubs and win trophies. For most players, the chance to join City is not one you’d think twice about.

But if you are at a club like Spurs, circumstances are slightly different. They have had a great season and they are trying really hard to move forward with the excellent young players they have. They have a hungry, passionate manager who works his socks off in training. If a player has the opportunity to leave, he might think, “Am I going to miss out on something special?”

Whether Walker plays or not tonight, Tottenham will be favourites against a West Ham team who need to make sure they build around a core of key players for next season — particularly Michail Antonio.

Antonio is in contract discussions with the club and they need to get that sorted quickly. He epitomises what many fans want from their players: he works hard, he wants to improve and they see the benefits of his work rate.

By rewarding Antonio, West Ham would show that you don’t have to be a high-profile signing from a wealthier club to earn a big contract. If they could tie him down, it would send a strong message.

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