Is it the only solution for Kalvin Phillips to revive his career by leaving Manchester City permanently?
Kalvin Phillips could be on his way out of Etihad. (Source: Manchester Evening News)
If there’s one player in the English Premier League who has been the center of numerous transfer rumors in the past year, it’s Manchester City’s midfielder. The football-starved player is mentioned on almost every sports website.
With the January transfer window now open, new rumors have started circulating. Will Phillips finally depart from The Citizens, and if so, where will he go?
When Kalvin Phillips joined Man City in July 2022, it seemed like a dream move for the regular England player. After all, the significant amount of money paid by the Manchester club for the young Leeds United star indicated that he would have a regular place in the midfield of the EPL champions. However, this has not been the case.
With Man City remaining the firm favorite to win the Premier League according to oddsmakers, and with Kevin de Bruyne fit again to dominate the midfield, it is unlikely that Phillips will get much playing time with the champions. In September, City manager Pep Guardiola even admitted that it is difficult to include Phillips in the starting lineup.
These words alone explain why the 28-year-old has only played 31 games for Man City in all competitions since joining the club, which is the same number of caps he has for England. Since signing, Phillips has played 911 minutes of football for the English champions, meaning that the club has paid over $58,500 for every minute he has played.
If Kalvin Phillips wants to feature in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the upcoming UEFA Euro 2024 tournament in Germany, he needs to play more football. During Euro 2020 in the UK, the then-Leeds defensive midfielder played in every match of the tournament, forming a partnership with Declan Rice as the co-hosts reached the final.
Although Southgate has shown loyalty to Phillips despite his lack of playing time, his appearances during Euro ’24 qualifying have decreased to only four games out of eight, with only one start among them. It is safe to say that without being match-fit, Kalvin Phillips’ international value will continue to decrease. The only way he is likely to fix this is by leaving The Etihad for a better opportunity.
Phillips will probably leave Man City during the current transfer window. While he should have many options, the reality is more complicated. His current club has invested a lot of money in his transfer and contract and will try to recover as much as possible from potential buyers before allowing him to leave.
In the past, Phillips has attracted interest from all the top Premier League clubs, as well as rumors of moves to Germany and Italy. While Liverpool, Manchester United, and Tottenham have pursued other options, the rumors about the other clubs never completely disappear. Arsenal and Newcastle are still potential destinations, and there is growing interest from Juventus in Serie A.
According to the media, West Ham is the latest Premier League club to inquire about Phillips, with manager David Moyes being a long-time admirer. In West Ham’s case, the deal would be a loan, but it depends on whether Man City is willing to accept the loan fee of almost $9 million. Currently, West Ham seems to be the most likely destination for Phillips.
A move to Arsenal would make sense, as Phillips could reunite with Rice and strengthen the international midfield partnership. With Thomas Partey frequently injured, there is a void in the defensive midfield at The Emirates, which Phillips could immediately fill for Mikel Arteta.
Until recently, Newcastle seemed interested in signing Phillips to replace the banned Sando Tonali and injured Joelinton. However, Man City’s demands for their backup player have caused Newcastle to withdraw from negotiations, so St James Park is no longer a potential destination for the Englishman.
Juventus could disrupt West Ham’s negotiations, as they are reportedly still considering making a bid. One way or another, it is likely that Kalvin Phillips will be leaving City’s blue jersey for a different color during January. The exact color is yet to be determined.
According to the Source firstsportz.com