Manchester City have entered the race to sign Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips, making him their top target, according to The Telegraph
Interest in the midfielder remains high, however, with their local rivals Manchester United also keen on the 26-year-old, who was an essential part of England’s run to the European Champions final last summer.
Manchester City Target Leeds United Midfielder
The Rising Stock of Kalvin Phillips
Kalvin Phillips has had a more than impressive rise since Leeds’s promotion to the Premier League with his performances proving he is one of the best midfielders outside of the ‘big six’.
This rise has also seen a long-standing interest from Manchester United who has been admirers of the Leeds-born midfielder for some time.
Phillips’s importance to the team cannot be underestimated with The White’s only winning 22 per cent of their games when he didn’t start this season, losing 67 per cent of them. Leeds’s worst form of the season also occurred when the midfielder was struggling with a hamstring injury, missing 14 games between November and March.
Leeds had hoped to tie the midfielder down to a new contract for some time however, this is yet to occur, and his present deal is still set to run out in 2024.
Fernandinho Replacement
With Fernandinho playing his last game for Manchester City last weekend, Pep Guardiola may view Phillips as the perfect replacement to mount next season’s title defence.
With the title being won in dramatic fashion on the final weekend, all eyes are now on transfer to ensure the title remains at the Etihad at the end of next season.
However, now Leeds had an equally successful weekend as victory at Brentford meant they avoided the drop down to the Championship at the expense of Burnley. This may mean The Whites can demand a more significant fee for the midfielder as they retain their Premier League status.
Having already bolstered the attacking front with the signings of Erling Haaland, as well as the signing of Julian Alvarez from River Plate, the midfield may now be Guardiola’s priority to replace the hole left by their former captain.
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