Leeds United are interested in bringing Kalvin Phillips back to the club on loan from Manchester City, but they will need to win promotion first.
Kalvin Phillips’ problems after leaving Leeds United.
The 28-year-old rose through the ranks at Elland Road and went on to make over 200 appearances for the Whites during an eight-year period following his debut in 2014.
While he made valuable contributions to the club after graduating from the academy, there’s no doubt that he thrived under Marcelo Bielsa, who made Phillips a crucial figure in his midfield and central to his style of play.
Phillips continued to progress as a player under his tutelage, playing a key role in their promotion to the Premier League and a ninth-place result upon their return.
Such form drew attention, and the midfielder earned international fame, becoming a valued player under Gareth Southgate as England advanced to the Euro 2020 final.
Manchester City would then sign Phillips in 2022, but his time with the champions has been challenging, with him failing to establish himself as a regular under Pep Guardiola.
Phillips joined West Ham in January after a difficult 18 months, but he has struggled since, making a few high-profile mistakes in his first few months with the club, and he is currently out injured.
Leeds United want to sign Kalvin Phillips.
As a result, the Hammers are unlikely to make the move permanent, which means Phillips will return to the Etihad Stadium as is.
Given how far down the pecking order he is there, City will be open to another move, and the Daily Mail reports that Leeds are interested in Phillips.
According to the source, City would want £30 million for the midfielder before considering a permanent purchase, although Leeds are open to a loan. Unsurprisingly, they add that this would only be achievable if Daniel Farke‘s side wins promotion to the Premier League, as the Yorkshire club is presently third in the Championship.
A return to Leeds United might benefit Kalvin Phillips and the club.
It’s difficult not to sympathise with Phillips given how his career has progressed over the last two years or so.
On paper, the transfer to City appeared to be a dream, since he would be working with perhaps the best manager in the world and have the opportunity to win championships. Of course, the latter occurred, with Phillips part of the treble-winning team, but he did not receive the game time he desired.
The opportunity to move to West Ham appeared to be just what he needed, but it has also failed to materialise. So returning to Leeds, where the supporters adore him, would seem to make sense.
Crucially, if he can return to the levels he demonstrated earlier, he would be a significant upgrade above Leeds‘ current midfield.
At his best, he offers poise, intensity, and ball-playing quality to Leeds, which may be lacking in midfield.
On loan, it would be low-risk for the Whites, so this is definitely one to keep an eye on, but the primary focus for everyone at Leeds is earning promotion, and they have some work to do in the coming weeks to get there.
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