"Snap your hand off" - Exclusive: Leeds United backed to seal Kalvin Phillips transfer | OneFootball

Former Wycombe Wanderers star Joe Jacobson spoke exclusively to FLW about Leeds United's pursuit of a return for Kalvin Phillips

Former Wycombe Wanderers defender Joe Jacobson has backed Leeds United to seal an emotional summer return for Kalvin Phillips, who continues to be linked with a switch back to Elland Road.

A product of the Whites' academy system, Phillips remains fondly remembered by all back in West Yorkshire. Affectionately dubbed the 'Yorkshire Pirlo', the midfielder became a star following the ambitious 2018 appointment of legendary Argentine boss Marcelo Bielsa and helped Leeds to promotion in the 2019/20 campaign.

Phillips thrived in the Premier League, enough so to earn a £45 million transfer to Manchester City in the summer of 2022. However, Phillips has found regular opportunities hard to come by under Pep Guardiola and started just two top-flight matches in his first season with the club before joining West Ham United on loan mid-way through the 2023/24 campaign, a move which swiftly proved disastrous for all parties.

The 31-cap England international is currently on loan with freshly-promoted Ipswich Town, who are poised to suffer relegation straight back to the Championship, and has endured a mixed time at Portman Road.

In recent months, Phillips has been linked with a return to Leeds. Most recently, it was reported by Football Insider on Monday afternoon that the Man City outcast is "pushing" for a move back to Leeds this summer, on the condition that Daniel Farke's side achieve promotion from the Championship.

Leeds are currently leading the league table and are tied on points with second-placed Sheffield United, with a return to English football's top-tier at the second time of asking remaining likely with just eight games to spare in the campaign.

Joe Jacobson backs Leeds United to seal Kalvin Phillips transfer return

If Phillips were to rejoin Leeds, he would face considerable competition in Farke's midfield stable.

Summer recruit Ao Tanaka has been a cut above in the Championship this season while Ilia Gruev has been solid in rotation with Bournemouth loanee Joe Rothwell and Welsh international Ethan Ampadu - who is comfortable in either defensive midfield or in the centre of defence - is one of the very first names on the German's team sheet when fully fit.

In the event of promotion, Leeds would surely be looking to make a number of additions to the midfield to increase strength in depth.

There could be concerns about just how Phillips would fit into this side now, but Jacobson has still backed them to resign the 29-year-old and believes that every Leeds player would "snap your hand off" to play alongside him in the Premier League next term.

"I still think Kalvin Phillips is a top-quality footballer," Jacobson explained when speaking exclusively to Football League World.

"He's proved that at Leeds before, at Man City and for England. Don't forget this was a guy that was starting in England's midfield, getting to the final of the Euros not so long ago.

"He's a very good player, he obviously hasn't played enough football in the last few years to warrant his place back in the England squad but he's started to play a little bit more now for Ipswich.

"If you ask any Leeds player if they would take Phillips in the summer, they would all snap your hand off. I don't think you can disregard him.

"However, in the midfield in Leeds, with Tanaka, Gruev and Ampadu - they've all been brilliant this season - it's hard to take that away from them."

Kalvin Phillips would need to take pay cut to rejoin Leeds United from Manchester City

Phillips appears to have his heart set on a return to Leeds, and it's little surprise why that is the case. After all, he played the best football of his career by some distance while with his boyhood side and his career has stalled since leaving the club.

However, he would have to part with a significant pay packet if he were to head back home to where it all started. As per Capology, a site which provides estimates on player salaries, Phillips' current contract in Eastlands sees him collect a weekly wage of £150,000.

City will surely be keen to get that salary off the books and it's one which Leeds, as a potentially-newly-promoted side, may understandably hold reservations about accommodating.

Phillips could be an extremely shrewd signing for Leeds if they can gain promotion and get him back to his best, but he's not going to come cheap as it is and they will likely need to convince him to take a fairly-considerable wage cut, too.