Midfielder keen to join Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva in Manchester City summer exodus | OneFootball

Kalvin Phillips is interested in returning to boyhood club Leeds United in the summer transfer window when ends his loan spell with relegated-threatened Ipswich Town, as per a new report.

The 29-year-old has endured a torrid time with the four-in-a-row Premier League champions and despite winning a historic treble with the Blues in his first season working with Pep Guardiola, it has all gone wrong for Phillips at the Etihad Stadium.

After a disastrous, injury-riddled first season in Manchester, Phillips struggled for game time in the first half of the 2023-24 campaign, which saw him seek a loan move to West Ham for regular first team football for the second half of the season.

However, a permanent move to east London did not materialise for the England international, who was instrumental to the England side that reached the 2021 European Championship final against Italy and earned a well-deserved move to City in the summer of 2022.

A possible return to Leeds United in the upcoming transfer window has long been mooted for Phillips, who has sent the season on loan at Ipswich Town, who are in danger of being relegated and would need a miracle to avoid going down to the EFL Championship.

However, Leeds United are poised to return to the Premier League for the 2025-26 campaign and whilst previous reports have hinted that the Whites would be unable to match Phillips’ current wages, the club are interested in re-signing the midfielder.

As per a report by Football Insider, Phillips is interested in returning to Leeds United in the summer window and finally part ways with Manchester City, where he is contracted till the end of the 2027-28 campaign.

There is no future for Phillips at Manchester City and after a full season on loan in the Premier League and with Leeds – who are nearing promotion – likely to cough up funds that would match City’s valuation of the midfielder, this would be the right time for a permanent transfer.

Kevin De Bruyne is the first of what is expected to be a long list of incoming summer departures at Manchester City, with Bernardo Silva heavily linked with a return to Benfica and ongoing uncertainty over the long-term future of Matheus Nunes in midfield.

City strengthened their options in the middle of the park when they signed Nico Gonzalez from Porto for £50 million in January and with the likes of Rodri and Mateo Kovacic also at Guardiola’s disposal, Phillips is highly likely to be sold for good in the summer.