Sport

Kyle Walker reveals he was ‘close’ to joining Bayern Munich as he prepares to sign new Manchester City contract

'Would I have enjoyed the experience? Of course I would...'

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 4th September 2023

Manchester City defender Kyle Walker has revealed he was “close” to joining Bayern Munich this summer after speculation over his future throughout the window but is now set to sign a new contract extension after all.

The long-serving Cityzen and England fullback is now one of the more senior players in Pep Guardiola‘s squad, having been there for six years and won everything there is to win with the club, but has now confirmed that talk of him going to the German giants wasn’t just concrete, it was nearly a done deal.

Speaking to BBC Sport after Man City’s emphatic 5-1 win over Fulham (yes, yet another hattrick from Erling Haaland), Walker said: “Decisions can be made, things can turn. It was close but in football, things can happen — it wasn’t meant to be.”

The 33-year-old is now set to sign his new deal in the coming days, one which will see him extend his stay at the Etihad until at least 2026.

Kyle Walker confirmed he will be extending his City contract after nearly joining Bayern.

The fan favourite Blue and England international told reporters, “Would I have enjoyed the experience? Of course I would, but this is a great club and you can’t underestimate what this club has done in the last six or seven years.”

On the other hand, Walker admitted, “Why should I walk away if I am going to get enough game time that’s right for me? That is all I want: I want to play football. I love the game and want to play, whether that’s here, Germany, Italy, Spain or in the Championship.”

“I wanted to play football so if I don’t feel that I am getting enough game time whether that is on X amount of pounds or no pounds… The money, I don’t care about it. You might say that’s a cliché, but I don’t care about it. I am just worried about my happiness and playing football.”

“It wasn’t like I was going to a worse club because Bayern Munich is a massive club and seeing what Harry [Kane] is doing there and will do, it wasn’t a step down.”

The former Spurs and Sheffield United right-back went on to say: “In the back of my head I always wanted to play for Manchester City but I had to do what was right for me and my future. It was just about which club gave me the years in my contract to play football at the highest level.”

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After moving past the Bayern discussion, Walker reaffirmed the love for his time spent in Manchester thus far, assuring that the contract extension “is coming” whilst adding, “It’s my seventh season here and I feel like one of the old ones.”

“I love the place. I’ve experienced things I only dreamt of here – especially the last season – so why would you want to leave a club like this?” Midfielder Bernardo Silva found himself in a similar situation at the start of the season with interest from all over Europe but has also decided to stay for a while longer.

He also assured that he would never try and force a move to another club, insisting: “I am a Manchester City player. I am contracted to them so what do you want me to do? Turn around and say ‘I am not playing because I want to force a move to Bayern Munich’? That is not me as a person.

“I have a contract with the club and I will play for the club until the contract [ends] or they sell me – and I wasn’t sold.” Walker has also been pulling on the captain’s armband after Ilkay Gündogan bid goodbye after seven years and replacement Kevin de Bruyne is out injured.

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Featured Image — Kyle Walker (via Instagram)/Bayern Munich

Sport

The NBA is coming to Manchester for just the second time ever

Danny Jones Danny Jones NBA coming to Manchester Co-op Live

In another major coup for Manchester, the NBA is coming to our shores for just the second time in history, having only been played in the UK on a relative handful of occasions.

This is nothing short of a massive milestone for the city.

Having last crossed the pond back in 2019, the NBA has only visited 0161 once before over a decade ago at the old AO Arena, and there’s only been a total of 19 transatlantic meetings up until now.

As if that wasn’t exciting enough, being confirmed as part of the NBA’s new European slate, Manchester is also set to be one of the first venues in the UK to ever host a regular-season game.

NBA Europe have managed to secure a three-year programme of matches that will feature as part of the league’s normal competitive season.

Kicking off next year and running until 2028 at the very least, the current deal will see the much-loved sport watched worldwide first land on the continent for a pair of games next year in Berlin and London, before heading to Paris and our very own Manchester in 2027.

Florida’s Orlando Magic and Tennessee’s Memphis Grizzlies have already been announced for the first two games, although Manchester’s match-up is yet to be confirmed at this early stage.

With Basketball England being officially headquartered within the wider Etihad Campus, there was no question that the Manchester NBA fixture was going to be held at Co-op Live.

As well as being not just the biggest indoor entertainment venue of its kind in England but all of Europe, the arena has also recently welcomed the likes of the UFC, WWE and multiple boxing matches, proving it can serve as the perfect host for premier live sporting action on a global scale.

Speaking in the wake of the seismic news, the Leader of Manchester City Council and representative for Burnage, Bev Craig, could only echo how big a deal this is for the region.

“Manchester once again has shown what a magnificent draw it is for major events, and we are thrilled to welcome the NBA back to our city”, she said. “This city is known for big names, big games and a reputation for showcasing world-class events on the biggest stage possible.

“With a growing basketball scene in Manchester, this event feels like the perfect fit and will give so many people in our city the chance to see what the best athletes in the sport can do on our home turf.

“When it comes to delivering world-class events, we know that Manchester is now firmly on the map. Now, working with our partners, we want to continue driving investment towards our city, creating new jobs, increasing growth and providing new opportunities and experiences for all of our residents.”

Once again, the exact date, timings and teams set to play at the Co-op are still yet to be decided, but having also sealed the BRIT Awards ceremony for 2026, it’s set to be a truly momentous couple of years for the arena and the city as a whole.

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Featured Images — Press shots (supplied)

Sport

Manchester Thunder and AO help provide grassroots netball teams with new kits

Danny Jones Danny Jones Manchester Thunder and AO help supply grassroots netball kits

Our native netball team, Manchester Thunder, and Bolton-based principal sponsor, AO, recently helped provide new kits to grassroots clubs in the region.

We love to see it.

Acting in collaboration not only with the local electrical retailer but with the team’s very own kit manufacturer and sportswear supplier, VX3, who design gear for all manner of disciplines, Manchester Thunder visited the Platt Lane Sports Complex in Fallowfield to visit some youth netball teams.

Surprising the girls at the popular Greater Manchester community sports venue – operated by Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) – a trio of different outfits from the North West and beyond were kitted out with jerseys, shorts, netball dresses, t-shirts and more.

Ribble Valley NC, Bangor’s Thundercats, and Chester, who were named North West Netball Club of the Year back in 2023, were all presented the boxes of brand-new netball kit.

These training and match-ready sportswear packages were worth more than £500 each, with VX3 renowned for their top-quality products, particularly prominent in both netball and rugby.

With approximately 700,000 women and girls playing netball nationwide every year, and an estimated 3.1 million people playing the sport annually, it remains the highest female participation sport in the country.

Multiple Manchester Thunder players were also in attendance on the day to help dish out the new kits, delighting youngsters who are no doubt hoping to follow in their footsteps one day.

Better still, not only were the kits bespoke to each club, but they also included tickets to a Thunder match, as well as an exclusive training session with the senior stars themselves.

Thundercats Under 12s
Ribble Valley U11s
Chester Netball Club
Manchester Thunder presented netball kits to dozens of aspiring young players. (Credit: Supplied)

When it comes to the likes of Chester, the nearby netball team saw their previous season hit by multiple obstacles, including their summer club tournament, which typically serves as a key annual fundraiser, being called off due to adverse weather conditions.

That being said, competitions and generous donations like these prove vital for spotting organisations up and down the UK.

Maya Nelson, Head Coach of Ribble’s under-11s squad, said of the heartwarming event: “Getting the kit means a lot to the club.

“I think the dress, especially with them being different to our usual kit, is a really nice touch, and it’s something that we can wear to competitions and different events, and feel a little bit special.

“We’re always trying to recycle kit through pre-loved sales, so it’s nice for the girls to be able to be gifted something new through the competition, and not having to wear second-hand kit. We were all absolutely buzzing and we couldn’t believe it.”

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At the time of the launch, Arafa Heneghan, Director of Brand at AO, said: “We’re incredibly passionate about supporting young people and grassroots team sports at AO, so we’re thrilled to run this competition for the next generation of netball stars, alongside Manchester Thunder.

“We know how much pride players take in their kits, so ten lucky teams getting the chance to create something bespoke with VX3 is really exciting.”

As official partners of the legendary AO Arena, the city’s iconic venues will also host the return of the England Netball team for an important international test series.

The England Netball team are returning to Manchester for a key international fixture

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Featured Images — Supplied (via Manchester Thunder/AO)

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