Gary Neville believes that Kyle Walker’s request to leave Man City may be due to the mental and physical strain of keeping up with the demands of Premier League football.

The City captain has informed director of football Txiki Begiristain of his wish to depart this month, with AC Milan showing interest. Since expressing his desire to leave, Walker has not featured in matches against Salford City and Brentford.

Despite remaining club captain, Walker has not worn the armband during recent substitute appearances and has struggled with his form this season, facing fitness issues as the City squad endures a challenging period.

On the Stick to Football podcast, Neville suggested that Walker’s decision to seek a move could be related to the difficulties he’s faced during this tough campaign.

“He’s captain of the team, it’s midway through a challenging season. When I saw that he had asked to leave, he’s got a good relationship with the manager – but I reckon he said he’s just done,” he said.

“At City, the demands of Pep Guardiola and playing at that level, I think he thinks that he can’t do it anymore at this level and just wants to get out. Mentally and physically, he just looks beaten – that’s just what I feel, I don’t know.”

Roy Keane suggested that Kyle Walker’s off-field problems could be impacting his performance, given that his personal life has frequently made headlines in the media and gossip columns.

Keane also advised Manchester City to view Walker’s request to leave as a business transaction, noting that the club has previously secured good value from players who have left in recent seasons.

“A lot of players have off the pitch issues – not just Kyle Walker – and eventually it does catch up with your performance on the pitch and it takes its toll on you,” he said.

“I have no problem with a player saying that he needs a change, but in the middle of the season when your team are struggling – I would just bide my time. I still think Manchester City will look at this as a business deal.

“It is affecting his game now – I think it has taken its toll. Other players have been under huge pressure, whether it be Wayne Rooney or David Beckham, they get on with it and the best place for them to be is the football pitch.

“For other players, the pressure piles on them and then their performances are affected. I think Pep will look after him, but whether that’ll mean letting him go on the cheap, I don’t know.”

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford is set to embark on a five-month loan spell in Europe, though his destination remains uncertain. Serie A now appears to be a less likely option.

Rashford’s brother was scheduled to meet with Manchester United on Wednesday to discuss his future, with the club eager to finalize plans quickly.

AC Milan had been waiting on the outcome of that meeting to determine whether they could secure Rashford’s signature. However, following the meeting, Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport) reports that the Rossoneri have all but abandoned their pursuit, believing Rashford favors a move to Barcelona.

Barcelona have identified Marcus Rashford as their top transfer target and have already discussed with his agents how much of his wages they could afford to cover. However, completing the deal would require either Rashford or Manchester United to make a compromise. First, though, Barcelona need to free up space within their salary cap, which hinges on an outgoing transfer. Despite the uncertainty, AC Milan believes Rashford is willing to wait for the Catalan club until the end of the transfer window.

In the meantime, Rashford remains open to other offers, with clubs like AS Monaco and Juventus also expressing interest. Borussia Dortmund, however, have presented a strong financial proposal, which could pressure Barcelona to act quickly to avoid losing Rashford’s patience.

Separately, Barcelona seem to have convinced Ronald Araújo to commit to the club for the foreseeable future, raising questions about the futures of Andreas Christensen and Eric García. García has been linked with Girona, while Ansu Fati is considered another potential departure if he decides to pursue a move elsewhere.

Newcastle are preparing to accept Atlanta United’s £10 million offer for Miguel Almiron, with the transfer expected to be finalized soon, according to Mail Sport.

In contrast, the club has turned down a bid of over £6 million from Fenerbahce for defender Lloyd Kelly.

Progress on that deal appears unlikely unless the Turkish side significantly increases their offer.

Almiron, 30, is reportedly eager to return to his former club, and discussions are set to accelerate this week, potentially ending his six-year stint at Newcastle.

However, the club is not expected to bring in a replacement for him, leaving them short on options in wide areas.

This is especially concerning as Harvey Barnes remains sidelined for about a month due to a thigh strain.

Fenerbahce’s interest in Kelly persists, but Newcastle would only consider selling if they receive a far more substantial bid than the initial one, which the club doubts will materialize.

Under Eddie Howe, Newcastle climbed to fourth in the Premier League after securing their sixth consecutive win in a dominant 3-0 victory over Wolves on Wednesday.

Almiron has been a consistent presence for Newcastle over the years, scoring 30 goals in 222 appearances. However, he has seen his role diminish this season, with Howe favoring Jacob Murphy on the right wing.

Despite having a contract until June 2026, Almiron has only made one league start this season but remains part of the matchday squad. He came off the bench during Wednesday’s win over Wolves.