Everton have been linked with a potential move for long-serving Manchester City defender Kyle Walker after he returned from a loan spell at AC Milan and was left out of Pep Guardiola’s squad for the FIFA Club World Cup tournament in the USA.
The Telegraph is now one of several outlets reporting that Walker has emerged as a serious target for Everton, although the ECHO understands any interest in the England international, who [David Moyes](https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/all-about/david-moyes) [attempted to sign](https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/kyle-walker-transfer-everton-collapsed-31871057) during his first stint at the club, is currently tentative at best.
Would Walker be a good signing for the Blues? Members of the ECHO sportsdesk have their say.
**Joe Thomas**
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The right back position has been problematic for a long time and now is the summer to address it.
For too long it has been a case of square pegs in round holes - too often have the likes Ben Godfrey and Mason Holgate been shunted out of position to do a job amid injuries to Seamus Coleman and Nathan Patterson. James Garner and Jake O’Brien both performed admirably when required in that slot, while Ashley Young was competent.
But when I think of that position over the recent years there are too many self-inflicted woes - Holgate being shown red at Crystal Palace, Young getting the same outcome when tormented by Luis Diaz and Kaoru Mitoma and Godfrey conceding a needless penalty at Old Trafford.
Everton have survived the lack of a proper right back because over recent years they have concentrated on defending the box, which has often meant sitting deep, barely going beyond the halfway line and receiving additional protection from the wide player in front of them.
If the club is to progress then it needs someone who is capable of carrying the ball forward and with recovery pace to get back when an attack comes to an end. They need a full back who can get forward in order to build a coherent attack and, ideally, they need a player who can make that spot their own for a few years.
That isn’t Kyle Walker. He was one of the best in the world in that position for a long time and has the trophy haul to prove it. His experience would be useful and he would still be an upgrade on what Everton have. Should Moyes prefer to sit deep, he may have the nous to be effective in defence if there is no requirement to attack.
But I really hope Everton look elsewhere this summer. The right back spot has been an issue for so long. While compromises will be necessary, I can’t make a compelling argument for Walker - not when, if it is free agency that matters in this position (Walker will not be out of contract but is likely to be allowed to leave for a nominal fee) there are younger alternatives like Kyle Walker-Peters and Kenny Tete. I am not saying they are the solution, but they make more sense to me if this is a spot that Moyes compromises in.
**Chris Beesley**
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Older and wiser himself, and probably more pragmatic as a result, Everton manager David Moyes is probably more open to the idea of bringing in some veterans to his squad than when he first took the reins at Goodison Park in 2002. Back then, at just 38 and not much older than some of the senior players, the Scot, who was the youngest manager in the Premier League at time, ushered the likes of Paul Gascoigne and then David Ginola out of the exit door.
While the 62-year-old Moyes, who has now managed more Premier League games than anyone other than fellow Glaswegian Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger, will still be hoping to bring in the same kind of hungry, young talents he could nurture back in the noughties, he probably holds greater stock with experience in the competition for potential recruits these days, especially given the size of his Blues rebuild this summer. If Everton are going to assemble an exciting new team, along with the up-and-coming prospects he can develop, Moyes is going to need some tried and trusted performers who can fill the gaps without breaking the bank in terms of transfer fees.
Kyle Walker would fit the bill in that respect. Regarded by many Tottenham followers, including Alan Sugar, Glenn Hoddle and artist Paul Trevillion as Spurs’ best-ever right-back, the England international, who has 96 caps, has gone on to win six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four League Cups, a Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup with Manchester City, but the question is: how much more does he have in the tank?
That question could be asked from both a physical and motivational perspective. Seamus Coleman now holds Everton’s Premier League appearance record but the club have been trying for several years to find a long-term successor for him.
They spent considerable money on Nathan Patterson, but he has not proved to be the solution, so are they now looking for another short-term solution in the shape of a player who is just 18 months the Irishman’s junior? (Ashley Young was over three years older!) If the Blues can get a younger alternative through the door this summer, then that would be preferable.
However, if that is not possible, then someone like Walker could prove a stopgap in a window when funds are required elsewhere because with Patterson continually overlooked and Coleman’s once so durable body not often letting him down, a new right-back is a must.
**Matt Jones**
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Everton are not going to sign a bunch of young players this summer who blossom into elite stars at Hill Dickinson Stadium. There is experience and leadership leaving the club in this window that will need to be replenished.
But Kyle Walker? It's tough to make a case for him at this stage.
The Blues have been linked with a move for the 35-year-old right-back this week, with his time at Manchester City seemingly over.
If he was to arrive, Walker would be a big voice in the dressing room and his experience playing at the highest level would be valuable. However, at this point in his career it feels like his deterioration as a player would undermine those assets.
The drop-off in performance from Walker in recent years has been alarming. The veteran no longer boasts that searing recovery speed and his lack of positional awareness has been shown up as a result.
For City, AC Milan and England last season he seemed to be frequently out of position. In the past, he was able to make up the ground with his gallops backwards. But that superpower is gone.
If we was to come to Everton, a more conservative style of football may cover up some of those problems.
But it would still be a short-term solution to a problem that Everton have not been able to resolve for many years at right-back.
There is a lot to do this summer, but the full-back positions have long been papered over at Everton. It's a position that in the past could have been plugged with a square peg, although in the modern game the role is crucial in both the attacking and defensive phase.
Walker's arrival would mean kicking the can down the road for another year. It's time for Everton to get with the times.