Football365
·3 December 2023
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·3 December 2023
Kalvin Phillips during a pre-match warm-up.
Kalvin Phillips is wanted by several Premier League clubs in January with central midfield players in high demand. Also, Manchester United have been rejected by a Spain international.
SPURS, NEWCASTLE BATTLING FOR PHILLIPS Kalvin Phillips needs to be playing football – even if his splintery backside is not affecting his England prospects at this moment in time – and Tottenham need a bigger and better squad. It’s a match made in heaven.
With Rodrigo Bentancur out until February and Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr at AFCON in January, a new central midfielder is a priority for Ange Postecoglou. The signing of Manchester City outcast Phillips makes too much sense for everyone involved.
CaughtOffside has reported that Newcastle United are leading the race for Phillips’ signature, though the player prefers a move to Arsenal amidst interest from Tottenham, Liverpool, Aston Villa, West Ham, Borussia Dortmund and Juventus.
Elsewhere, Football Insider says Spurs are ‘aware they face massive competition’ to win the race for the former Leeds United midfielder – who has been told he can move clubs in January.
Newcastle, Juventus and West Ham also get a cheeky mention in the report.
SIMON SAYS… NO Andre Onana’s start to life at Manchester United has not been a roaring success, to put it mildly. His shaky form has seen the Red Devils linked with a host of goalkeepers, even if fellow summer signing Altay Bayindir can’t get a sniff, and the latest name in the rumour mill is Athletic Bilbao’s Unai Simon.
The Spain No. 1 has six clean sheets in La Liga this season and is bound to cost a pretty penny if he does leave Bilbao – who tend to do well when it comes to selling their prized assets. Just look at £72million Chelsea flop Kepa Arrizabalaga, for example.
Unfortunately for anyone interested in signing Simon, he is likely to reject them, which he reportedly has done to Manchester United. According to Fichajes, the 26-year-old – who is under contract until 2025 – has recently turned down the Red Devils, German champions Bayern Munich, and ‘proposals from teams in Saudi Arabia’.
It is said that Simon views Bilbao as ‘the club of his dreams’ and has no intention of leaving. Aw, football is wholesome sometimes.
TAYLOR WANTED BY PL CLUBS There is a lot of Premier League interest in Ajax midfielder Kenneth Taylor, who seems bound to be the next player to make the jump from the Eredivisie giants to Our League.
Our friends over at TEAMtalk claim Taylor is rather reluctant to move in the winter transfer window with Spurs, Aston Villa, Brighton and Newcastle keeping an eye on him after Manchester United and Manchester City previously looked at bringing the Dutchman to England.
As you are probably aware, a few clubs are in the market to sign a central midfielder in January and although Taylor isn’t too keen on packing his bags mid-season, the report claims that Ajax are willing to listen to offers after a disastrous start to the season.