Sporting Life
Kyle Walker moved to Manchester City from Spurs in 2017
Kyle Walker moved to Manchester City from Spurs in 2017

Manchester City 2019/20 season preview: Kyle Walker says Premier League champions need Champions League trophy to become top club

By Sporting Life
Football
Wed July 24, 2019 · 5y ago

Kyle Walker says Manchester City need to improve their recent European record and win the Champions League in order to get to where they need to be as a team.

The full-back sees it as the club's next challenge after sweeping almost all before them to win five trophies over the past two seasons, including back-to-back Premier League titles.

"I've said before that for City to be where they want to be, I think they need to win the Champions League," Walker said.

"I think we need to win the Champions League, us as players. I think some of the players in the dressing room have achieved too much in their careers and done too much for football not to win the Champions League. So, we owe it to them and ourselves."

Walker has joined City during a period of remarkable success, having arrived from Tottenham in a £45 million deal in 2017.

With City showing no signs of letting up and spending a club record £62.8 million on midfielder Rodri over the summer, Walker is confident more trophies will follow.

The 29-year-old said: "It's been great since I moved two years ago. I've achieved things I didn't think I'd achieve in football.

"To win not one but two Premier League titles has been fantastic and the records we have achieved, making us one of the great Premier League teams of all time - I don't think I would have achieved that if I wasn't with City.

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"The first year was phenomenal and nobody thought that could be bettered, but we topped that. So hopefully this year we can do something special.

"It's going to come with a lot of challenges and a lot of surprises but I feel as a team we have got the experience now to go and achieve what we want to."

Kompany sets Champions League target

Winning the Champions League was a target set by Vincent Kompany for his team-mates as he announced he was leaving the club at the end of last season.

The inspirational Kompany won 10 trophies during his glittering City career but Europe's top prize eluded him.

Walker said: "For Vinny this place obviously had a special place in his heart and for us we need to go and try to listen to him - as always - and go and get the Champions League, what he wanted."

Walker, a strong presence for City in attack and defence, intends to carry on playing a key role for City for years to come.

"I'm 29 and I still feel young and fit," he said. "I'm still wanting to learn as well. I feel there is still definitely a good three or four more years in me where I can still move.

"There are still things to improve on on the pitch but I do work hard, I can assure you of that. I try to be the best I can in each and every game."

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