---
title: "Profit Players: Tottenham Hotspur nearly had the last laugh after selling Kyle Walker for a peak price"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/profit-players-tottenham-hotspur-nearly-had-the-last-laugh-after-selling-kyle-walker-for-a-peak-price/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Stephan Georgiou"
section: "Features"
published: "2019-11-10T07:00:20Z"
modified: "2019-11-10T07:00:20Z"
---

# Profit Players: Tottenham Hotspur nearly had the last laugh after selling Kyle Walker for a peak price

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Profit-Players-1.png)

**This article forms part of our Profit Players feature series, which is where Football Transfer Tavern takes a look at how well a player has fared since being signed or sold, using statistical figures and statements from pundits to prove how good of a deal the club managed to achieve.**

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has his critics – his [former players](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/11801136/kieran-trippier-hits-out-at-daniel-levy-and-mauricio-pochettino-over-tottenham-exit) among them – but he very nearly pulled off the perfect masterstroke when he allowed Kyle Walker to join Premier League rivals Manchester City in 2017.

Pep Guardiola’s City went on a heavy spending spree in the summer of two years ago, splashing out close to [£300m on new players](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/manchester-city/transfers/verein/281/plus/0?saison_id=2017&pos=&detailpos=&w_s=) as the Spaniard strived to deliver a first Premier League crown under his stewardship.

A huge overhaul on his defence took place, with Walker joining the likes of Aymeric Laporte, Benjamin Mendy and Ederson – duly delivering in the following May as they [wrapped up the title](https://www.mancity.com/news/first-team/first-team-news/2018/april/man-city-premier-league-story) at a canter.

But Tottenham did well to muster what they could from City’s sizeable wallets. Spurs had signed Walker from Sheffield United in 2009 for a fee of £5.3m ([Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/kyle-walker/transfers/spieler/95424)), and the full-back had become a loyal mainstay at White Hart Lane, amassing [229 appearances](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/kyle-walker/leistungsdatenverein/spieler/95424) during his time in North London.

Walker may have become a trusted right-back at Spurs and gained [international recognition](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/kyle-walker/nationalmannschaft/spieler/95424), too – but according to Transfermarkt, his market value was just [£27m](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/kyle-walker/transfers/spieler/95424) when City made a [deal worth up to £50m](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40598351) to bring him to the Etihad Stadium.

At the time, the defender had twice been named in the [PFA Team of the Year](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/12040/7684680/pfa-team-of-the-year), including [the year City bought him](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39648483) – with his five-year gap between appearances perhaps illustrating the impact he failed to maintain after being named [Young Player of the Year in 2012](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/17734248) – though he had ended the 2016/17 season with the [joint-most assists](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40598351) for a defender (five) as Spurs [finished second](https://www.skysports.com/premier-league-table/2016).

Whether or not City overpaid, Spurs almost pulled off the feat of using their surplus funds to the greatest effect, by welcoming the likes of [Fernando Llorente and Lucas Moura](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/tottenham-hotspur/transfers/verein/148/plus/0?saison_id=2017&pos=&detailpos=&w_s=) that season – both of whom were [pivotal](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48192369) in Spurs’ run to the Champions League final a year later, [beating Walker’s City](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47953693) on the way.

With Walker going on to win [two league championships](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/kyle-walker/erfolge/spieler/95424), City will hardly be losing any sleep over the potentially questionable fee they paid for him – though it is arguable that Spurs almost delivered the Champions League as an eventual consequence, and were so close to sealing a deal which left all parties satisfied.

However, receiving a sum nearly twice the market value of Walker in 2017 is something to be proud of, nonetheless.

\[freshpress-poll id=”250064″\]

***Spurs fans, should you have sold Walker to a Premier League rival? Join the discussion below!***