Manchester City are open to loaning out Kalvin Phillips for a season and Liverpool are fast emerging as a credible contender to snap up the England international, per reports.
Phillips cost a package worth £45m when moving from boyhood club Leeds to Man City last summer. However, despite the sizeable outlay, the midfielder has made little to no impression at the Etihad thus far.
Indeed, the 27-year-old racked up just 593 minutes of first-team football last term. His fortunes haven’t changed in the early going this season, with Phillips yet to make a single appearance in City’s Community Shield, UEFA Super Cup and two Premier League clashes.
Now, according to a surprising report from the Sun, Man City are prepared to loan Phillips out.
That is according to their reporter Alan Nixon who claimed a season away to get Phillips’ career back on track is now in the works.
Phillips had initially hoped to stay at City and fight for his place. Many a new signing under Pep Guardiola have taken a full season to bed in before eventually coming good.
However, their latest update suggests that with Euro 2024 on the horizon, Phillips may now be willing to leave City on loan to aid his international ambitions.
Liverpool are heavily mentioned in the piece and their need for further midfield reinforcements is well documented.
The Reds failed to sign either Romeo Lavia or Moises Caicedo despite lodging huge bids. Both players ultimately favoured joining Chelsea, with Liverpool then moving quickly to snap up Wataru Endo.
In any case, a fourth midfield addition is expected and could now come in the form of Phillips. Bayern Munich’s Ryan Gravenberch is another option in Liverpool’s sights.
Liverpool make “four to five” midfield enquiries
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano recently confirmed the Reds have made enquiries into four or five different midfielders as they seek to add one more name to their ranks.
Romano suggested Phillips was among the names in the mix, though despite City’s greenlight, nothing is advanced as yet.
“Kalvin Phillips has been attracting links with Liverpool again, but I’m not aware of anything concrete or advanced,” Romano told Caught Offside.
“Liverpool can sign another midfielder but only if they find the right opportunity in terms of price, conditions and more.
“They made calls last week for 4-5 midfielders – Sofyan Amrabat was another one of those – but just to be informed on conditions of the deals, nothing concrete after they signed Wataru Endo.”
