Tottenham Hotspur’s former striker Jermain Defoe has hailed Kyle Walker as better than Gareth Bale in certain aspects of his physicality.
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Walker departed the north London club back in 2017 in a deal which is believed to have been worth in the region of a whopping £53m.
The now 32-year-old left a huge hole in the Spurs side which has seen them struggle to find a solid replacement since he left with numerous players coming and going since Walker’s exit.
Since leaving Spurs, the Englishman has gone on to win four Premier League titles, four League Cups an FA Cup and two Community Shields.
Speaking on the FIVE YouTube channel, Defoe admitted that Walker was able to do most things that Bale could do and was actually better in certain aspects on the ball:
“Like, he is on another level. Physically, he’s on another level to anything I’ve seen. Anything I’ve seen. Prime on his day.”
“And we talk about Gareth [Bale] knocking the ball past people, Kyle could do the same and probably quicker than Gareth. Kyle’s a machine. I’ve never seen anything like it. A machine.”
Better than Bale?
Bale’s time at Spurs will be remembered incredibly fondly with the Welshman showing out in his final season at White Hart Lane – as a permanent player.
Over the course of the 2012/13 campaign, the left-footed forward provided Spurs with 21 goals and eight assists in the Premier League.
And some of the goals he was able to return will last forever in the memories of many Spurs fans.
However, it has to be said Spurs were able to replace him fairly comfortably when Harry Kane made his name at the club with the Englishman providing cover for the goals Bale offered year after year.
The same cannot be said, though, in replacing Walker with Spurs having now spent in the region of £120m on seven right-backs and wight wing-backs since his departure for Manchester.
Walker is often recognised as one of the fastest players to have graced the Premier League, so from a physical point of view there is certainly some merit in what Defoe is saying.
Perhaps Defoe is recalling memories from his days in training with Spurs, whereas, with Bale, the Welshman often produced these moments during the games themselves.
Memories of beating the likes of Maicon in both games against Inter Milan in the Champions League spring to mind but perhaps that is because he was able to provide the finishing touch by scoring and assisting.
Whereas with Walker, the right-back has not exactly shown the same ability in converting with just four goals and 20 assists in 229 appearances for purs.