Former Spurs defender Walker laughs off Dier 'traitor' joke

Walker was speaking to the press ahead of England's game live on ITV. Credit: PA

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Kyle Walker laughed off Eric Dier and Dele Alli's baiting of him on England's flight to Malta, with Gareth Southgate defending his players' social media antics.

On a day when most people's attention was focused on the impending transfer deadline, eyebrows were raised by a live Instagram post by Alli.

Manchester City's Walker was called a "traitor" during an exchange with former Tottenham team-mates Alli and Dier, only to retort that there was no problem when the latter was interested in a move to Manchester United.

The pair are pictured hugging after in the post that Walker believes has been blown out of proportion, calling his former club team-mates "the Chuckle brothers".

"It's just a bit of friendly banter," he said ahead of Friday's World Cup qualifier. "I think it's been took a bit too far, me, Del, Harry (Kane), Eric, we're all very close. I've know them for a good six, seven years now.

"it's all just a bit of friendly banter I wouldn't read too much into it."

Asked if Dier called him a traitor, Walker said with a laugh: "Yeah, it's just kind of one of them things that you just have a bit of fun about.

"You know, me and Eric have a good relationship on and off the field.

"We have banter together and I take it, he takes it. That's just about it, really."