Man City transfer move hints at Pep Guardiola's Kyle Walker solution

Issa Kabore has continued the full-back exodus at Manchester City by agreeing a season-long loan to join Portuguese giants Benfica.

Joao Cancelo completed a permanent exit from the Etihad Stadium by joining Saudi Pro League champions Al Hilal on Tuesday.

The Portugal international was an integral part of City’s 2020/21 and 2021/22 Premier League title wins before falling out with manager Pep Guardiola. Kabore, by contrast, has never played a game for City since joining from Belgian club Mechelen in 2020. His loan switch to Benfica follows similar stints with Troyes, Marseille and — in England’s top flight last season — Luton Town.

However, as reported by Fabrizio Romano , the 23-year-old’s move to Lisbon does not contain any option for Benfica to buy at the end of the loan.

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It remains a leap to say Kabore definitely features in City’s long-term plans for the first team, not least because Guardiola himself is out of contract at the end of this season. But the lack of buy option is interesting in the context of Kyle Walker’s future.

England right-back Walker was close to leaving City for Bayern Munich last summer and was purportedly an alternative to Cancelo for Al Hilal this time around. The 34-year-old is under contract at City until June 2026.

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Rico Lewis has started the season at right-back for Guardiola’s side, in part because of Walker and his England colleagues in the City squad being granted an extended break after their Euro 2024 excursions.

Although the 19-year-old Lewis is stylistically very different to Walker, with capabilities to play in midfield, he has been viewed as the former Tottenham man’s long-term successor. However, the terms of Kabore’s move to Benfica suggest he might also have a role to play in City’s post-Walker future.