Sports
Pep Guardiola Named Kyle Walker as ‘One of the Greatest’ Defenders Ever
Over the years, Pep Guardiola has coached some absolutely brilliant defenders. For instance, his early success at Barcelona was built upon an iconic centre-back partnership between Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique.
Having won the Champions League, La Liga and more in Spain, he then moved to Bayern Munich and got the best out of Philipp Lahm, later calling the German defender ‘perhaps the most intelligent player’ he ever worked with. Then, in 2016, he moved to England and enjoyed a trophy-laden decade at Manchester City.
Indeed, Guardiola won six Premier League titles, with defenders such as Vincent Kompany, Pablo Zabaleta, and Ruben Dias all vital to his success. One Englishman, however, earned the utmost respect from the Catalan coach.
Speaking ahead of the player’s return to Man City as a Burnley player in September 2025, Guardiola was full of praise for Walker. He even went as far as to say he was ‘one of the greatest’ defenders of all time:
“I’m pretty sure everybody is happy to see him back in a place where he has been an unbelievable figure for us. He has been the right-back that defined our time here for the last (eight) years.”
He added: “(He is) one of the greatest in terms of consistency and no injuries and playing every single game, an incredible figure in the locker room.
“In (eight) years, six Premier Leagues, a Champions League, (many) titles, always being there in good moments and bad moments.”
And when asked if Walker deserved to be compared with the very best full-backs to have played the game, Guardiola agreed, adding:
“Absolutely, one of the greatest full-backs ever.
“You have to control that side with wingers, I slept like a baby before games with Kyle there. He can handle top, top-class wingers in the world.
“We always tried to help him with the ball to read a situation and he was a better player than maybe he thought. My target from day one was, ‘You are good, Kyle, with your long balls and the quality of your pass and everything’. He was an incredible right-back.”
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Walker’s Elite Career for Man City and England
Walker was capped 96 times by England – scoring just one goal but picking up 10 assists – and will go down as one of the finest right-backs to ever come out of Britain. He played in two finals for the Three Lions, sadly losing each time, first to Italy at Euro 2020 and then four years later to Spain.
His best years were spent at Man City. He played 319 times for the Cityzens, with every appearance coming under Guardiola. In that time, he lifted six Premier League titles, the Champions League, two FA Cups and the League Cup on four occasions.
Speaking in 2022, Gareth Southgate revealed how impressed he’d been by Walker’s development under Guardiola. He noted how the player had matured, saying:
“You notice players maturing. For example, Kyle Walker who isn’t captain of his club but he’s such a man within the group, on the pitch, off the pitch, and I think he’s matured a lot over the last two or three years.”
Having been relegated with Burnley, it remains to be seen what the future holds for the 36-year-old right-back. Regardless, he will go down as one of the finest Premier League defenders of all time.
Sports
Man City In Talks to Hijack Arsenal Move for Morgan Rogers
Manchester City are ready to make a record-breaking move to sign top Arsenal target Morgan Rogers this summer, according to TEAMtalk.
Man City and Arsenal competed for this season’s Premier League title until the very end, and now they could go head-to-head for one of the best attacking players in England over the next few weeks.
City will know that after a season that ended with disappointment in the league and in the Champions League, and with Pep Guardiola’s exit confirmed, that a refresh is on the way ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.
Both City and Arsenal are likely to be looking to add to their attacking options this summer, with the Gunners only scoring two more goals than Manchester United this term, despite winning their first Premier League title since 2004.
After a decade of Guardiola, it could be a season of transition under Enzo Maresca at the Etihad, but it seems as though the club is ready to back the Italian in the transfer market if early rumours are to be believed.
The Cityzens are already said to be considered favourites to sign Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson ahead of rivals United, and now they are ramping up their interest in Rogers too.
Man City In Talks Over Morgan Rogers Move
According to TEAMtalk, Man City are firmly in the mix to sign Rogers alongside fellow Premier League rivals Arsenal and Chelsea, with the 23-year-old emerging as one of the most sought-after attacking players in Europe.
The report says that City are actively in talks over a potential move for the England international, who could be a starter under Thomas Tuchel at the World Cup having helped Villa to win the Europa League this season.
City chiefs are looking to boost a squad that is set to lose Bernardo Silva, with sporting director Hugo Viana intent on building a squad to reclaim the Premier League title from Arsenal.
Despite failing to make the breakthrough at City after joining the club’s youth ranks in 2019, Rogers is open to a move to re-join the club this summer.
Morgan Rogers Set to Cost Record-Breaking Fee
TEAMtalk also report that Villa are ready to demand more than the £100m they sold Jack Grealish to City for when it comes to Rogers’ price tag this summer.
Reports have emerged that Mikel Arteta really wants to bring Rogers to the Emirates in the next few months to boost a side that went so close to adding the Champions League to their Premier League title win.
With the departure of Gabriel Martinelli possible this summer, Arteta would love to add someone of the profile of Rogers to his squad, given his ability to play on the left as well as centrally.
Interest in him isn’t just limited to the Premier League either, with both Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain holding discussions over signing him.
Villa won’t want to lose Rogers, but a bidding war could also be possible given the level of interest in him ahead of the summer transfer window officially opening on June 15.
Sports
Tottenham Pull Out of Deal to Sign Joao Palhinha, De Zerbi Really Wanted Him
Tottenham Hotspur have pulled out of a deal to sign Joao Palhinha on a permanent deal in a major transfer twist, according to A Bola.
Tottenham finished in 17th position for the second successive Premier League season, finishing above London rivals West Ham United in the final relegation spot this term.
The Lewis Family have already put out a statement saying the 2025-26 campaign cannot be repeated, and so big changes are expected to the squad in the next few months to ensure that Roberto De Zerbi has a squad capable of improving and challenging much higher up in the Premier League standings.
Having had Champions League matches this season, it may well be a blessing in disguise for De Zerbi and his players to have no European football this time around.
Manchester United found themselves in a similar situation this season and ended up finishing third, given their clearer calendar.
De Zerbi will be dreaming of following in the Red Devils’ footsteps next time around, but he will also know that his team must look stronger at the start of next season than it did at the end of the current campaign.
One of the Italian’s first decisions will be deciding the future of the club’s loan players.
Tottenham ‘Drop Out of Race’ to Sign Joao Palhinha
According to A Bola, Tottenham’s €30m buy option for the Portugal international expires on Monday following his season-long loan spell from Bayern Munich.
A deal was still not guaranteed if the 30-year-old was against joining Spurs, and now the decision has been taken out of their hands, according to the report from Portugal.
They state that the former Fulham star is intent on moving back to his homeland for personal reasons, with Sporting Lisbon leading the race to bring Palhinha back to Portuguese shores.
Sporting are now set to enter into negotiations with the midfielder’s parent club, with the deal likely to be another loan but with a fixed fee and mandatory purchase option.
Joao Palhinha Snub a Blow for Roberto De Zerbi
The news that Palhinha is unlikely to be wearing a Tottenham shirt again will be particularly disappointing news for De Zerbi.
The Italian has said twice in recent weeks that he would love to have the Portugal international as one of his key players at Spurs next season, but it appears as though those fades are hoping.
While the 30-year-old didn’t start De Zerbi’s first three matches in charge of the club, his crucial winning goal as a substitute against Wolverhampton Wanderers saw him instated into the starting XI for the final four games of the season.
Despite being a deep-lying midfielder, Palhinha popped up with another crucial decisive goal in the final day win over Everton, showing what a big-game player he can be.
Tottenham aren’t short of midfield options but De Zerbi was clearly a huge fan of Palhinha and that would suggest that the Italian will want to sign an alternative to him in the coming weeks.
Sports
LeBron James Named Best NBA Defender He Ever Played Against
LeBron James is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players ever. The 41-year-old entered the NBA at just 18 years of age and has spent the last 23 years as one of the biggest stars in the league. His sustained excellence at the highest level has been remarkable, while his longevity is unlike anything basketball fans have witnessed before.
The Los Angeles Lakers star has scored more points than any player in NBA history, owns the record for the most consecutive games with a point scored and is a four-time league MVP. Simply put, he has overwhelmed opponents throughout his career and, with his rare blend of power, quickness and athleticism, very few players have found a way to stop him on the hardwood.
That doesn’t mean his career has been without challenges, though. James revealed the toughest defender he ever faced, and it is a name long associated with physicality and defensive excellence.
LeBron James Named Metta Sandiford-Artest as His Best Defender
During an episode of the ‘Mind the Game‘ podcast alongside Steve Nash, a fan asked LeBron and the Hall of Fame point guard to identify the best defenders they had ever competed against. The King wasted little time before selecting Metta Sandiford-Artest. Previously known as Ron Artest and later Metta World Peace, the 45-year-old spent 18 seasons in the NBA and suited up for franchises including the Chicago Bulls, Sacramento Kings and Lakers.
He is perhaps best remembered for his stint with the Indiana Pacers, where he captured the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2004. He was also a central figure in the infamous ‘Malice at the Palace’ incident, which involved a confrontation with Detroit Pistons fans. Throughout his career, he became renowned for his toughness, intensity and willingness to do the dirty work on defence.
Speaking about Sandiford-Artest, as quoted by Yahoo! Sports, LeBron said:
“Ron Artest was, you know, Metta World Peace now, oh my goodness, really good with his hands. Latterly was really good. Strong as an ox. You know, I played against him in my early years when he was in Indiana.
“I mean, you know, it was challenging, you know, for sure. You know, it was one of the best defenders I’ve probably played against.”
Check out the full episode below:
That is certainly significant praise from a player who is widely considered one of the greatest in NBA history. Since being selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003, James has spent the majority of his life in the league and gone head-to-head with some of the finest defenders basketball has ever produced.
He has faced the likes of Kawhi Leonard, Gary Payton and Ben Wallace, players widely regarded among the best defenders ever, but it was Sandiford-Artest who left the biggest mark on the Lakers forward. A mark that remains with James even nine years after the former small forward called time on his playing career.
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