Reported Liverpool target Kalvin Phillips looks set to leave Manchester City in January.
Phillips has been linked with Liverpool since even before joining City from Leeds United in summer 2022. Having opted to move to the Etihad though, the 27-year-old has failed to break into the team.
With Euro 2024 on the horizon, rumours about a move away have continued, with the Reds once again being mentioned. And according to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Phillips has now accepted that he needs to move away for regular game time.
“From speaking to sources, it’s very likely for Kalvin Phillips to leave Manchester City in the January transfer window,” Romano reports in his Daily Briefing today.
“That’s the idea, that’s the feeling, because the player both in public and in private has been very clear that he wants to play as a starter.
“He hoped for an opportunity at Man City, and he wanted to stay and fight for his place despite having some other opportunities to leave in the summer, but it hasn’t happened for him, and for his England place, with the Euros coming up, it’s important for him to be on the pitch.
“Phillips has been super professional and City are happy with how he’s been in this difficult situation, but it looks very likely for him to leave. At the moment it’s not something that’s been decided in a private meeting, but both sides feel that’s how it’s going to be this January.”
With Phillips openly on the market, Liverpool won’t be the only team interested in obtaining his services. In fact, depending on who you ask, the Reds may not even be interested at all.
But given that Jurgen Klopp is short of a top quality defensive midfielder, there’s reason to believe that they are.
On the face of it, it would seem unlikely that City would sell to a direct rival. But in reality, who is going to be able to offer anything like the £45m they paid for Phillips just over a year ago?
In terms of wages and potential fee, it’s going to be tricky for some Premier League sides to compete mid-season.
That could give Liverpool an advantage. If City and Phillips are short of options, perhaps they’d accept that a move to someone like the Reds is the only way for everyone to be happy. Only today, it’s been claimed that Liverpool are one of the top three teams interested in the former Leeds man.
If that does come to pass, there will be a portion of Liverpool fans who aren’t too thrilled. If the England international isn’t good enough for Man City, what makes him good enough for us?
That is indeed a valid line of questioning. The Reds are long-term admirers of Phillips though, and if Klopp really does want him, you’d imagine the boss would have a plan to get the best out of Kalvin. This won’t be the last we’ve heard of this before now and January, so let’s see what further updates bring.
