Further details emerge as Leeds United line up summer transfer move for Man City man | OneFootball

Kalvin Phillips’ struggles since leaving Leeds United

The 28-year-old came through the ranks at Elland Road, and he would go on to make over 200 appearances for the Whites over an eight-year period following his debut in 2014.

Whilst he made good contributions to the team after stepping up from the academy, there’s no doubt he flourished under Marcelo Bielsa, as the Argentinian made Phillips a key figure in his midfield, and central to the style of play.

Under his guidance, Phillips continued to improve as a player, as he starred in their promotion to the Premier League and a ninth-placed finish on their return to the top-flight.

Such form caught the eye, and the midfielder received international recognition, becoming a trusted player under Gareth Southgate as England reached the Euro 2020 final.

Manchester City would then sign Phillips in 2022, but his time with the champions has been difficult, as he struggled to ever establish himself as a regular under Pep Guardiola.

After a tough 18 months, Phillips joined West Ham in January, but he has continued to struggle with the Hammers, making a few high-profile mistakes in his first few months with the club, and he’s now out injured.

Leeds United keen on signing Kalvin Phillips

As a result, the Hammers are highly unlikely to make the move a permanent one, meaning Phillips will return to the Etihad Stadium as it stands.

Given how far he is down the pecking order there, City will be open to another switch, and the Daily Mail has revealed that Leeds are keen on Phillips.

The report states that City would want £30m for the player to consider a permanent deal, but they state that Leeds are instead open to a loan. Unsurprisingly, they add that this would only be possible if Daniel Farke’s side win promotion to the Premier League, with the Yorkshire side currently third in the Championship.

A Leeds United return could suit Kalvin Phillips and the club

It’s hard not to have sympathy for Phillips with how his career has gone in the past two years or so.

On paper, the move to City looked like a dream, as he was working with arguably the best manager in the world, and it was a chance for him to win trophies. Of course, the latter did happen, with Phillips part of the group that won the treble, but he didn’t get the game time he would’ve wanted.

The chance to move to West Ham then looked like what he needed, but it hasn’t worked out either. So, returning to Leeds, where the fans love him, would appear to make sense.

Crucially though, if he can get anywhere near to the levels he previously showed, he would be a major upgrade on what Leeds have in midfield.

At his best, he brings composure, intensity and quality on the ball, with Leeds sometimes lacking that in midfield.

On loan, it would be low-risk for the Whites, so this is certainly one to monitor, but the only focus for all connected to Leeds is winning promotion, and they have some work to do to get over the line in the next few weeks.