Leeds United are said to be in the running to sign Kalvin Phillips from Manchester City this summer. The midfielder could leave the Etihad Stadium after seeing his game time cut sharply this season, but the Sky Blues, who are demanding a full money back, could stop the transfer in its tracks.
Phillips was an England regular and Leeds talisman when City paid £42m to sign him last summer. After rising through the ranks with his boyhood club, the 27-year-old left Elland Road with 234 appearances to his name and two impressive seasons in the Premier League.
That was enough to convince City to shell out a hefty sum of money, but Phillips’ career has taken a beating since joining Manchester. In fact, the midfielder has only played 56 minutes in the Premier League this season, and Rodri, the starter, has proven difficult to dislodge.
City manager Pep Guardiola hasn’t made life easy for Phillips either, as he publicly blamed the former Leeds star for returning from the World Cup “overweight”.
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According to the Daily Star, major clubs are closely monitoring Phillips’ situation. West Ham are considering him as the replacement for departing Declan Rice, while Leeds are also said to be interested in returning to West Yorkshire.
The Whites tried to sign him on loan in January, but City refused as part of their bid to close the gap with league leaders Arsenal. Leeds only have a chance of signing Phillips if they retain their leadership status, with Javi Gracia’s side two points clear of the relegation zone.
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The transfer could also be complicated by City demanding to recoup the full £42million transfer fee, despite the midfielder’s action dropping this season. By reaching the asking price, Leeds would break a new transfer record, the previous one having been broken in January with the signing of Georginio Rutter.
Despite not being used at the Etihad, Phillips received a major vote of confidence from England manager Gareth Southgate on Thursday night as he started in the Three Lions’ 2-1 win over England. Italy in Naples.
Better yet, the Leeds native contested…
