Kalvin Phillips: Not a Man City player for much longer?

Is leaving Man City, permanently, the only solution for Kalvin Phillips to revive his career?

Kalvin Phillips: Not a Man City player for much longer?

Kalvin Phillips could be on his move away from Etihad. (Source: Manchester Evening News)

If there’s one player in the English Premier League who’s been the subject of more transfer rumors over the last year than any other, it’s Manchester City’s Kalvin Phillips. The football-starved midfielder is somewhere on the page of almost every sports website accessed.

With the January transfer window now open, fresh rumors have started. Will Phillips finally leave The Citizens, and if so, where will he go? 

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When Kalvin Phillips signed with Man City in July 2022, it appeared like a dream move for the England regular. After all, the $53.5 million that the Manchester club paid for the young Leeds United star was no paltry sum, indicating he would start regularly in the EPL champion’s midfield. However, this wasn’t the case then and hasn’t been ever since. 

With Man City maintaining its tag as the firm Premier League favorite among oddsmakers in this comprehensive list of offshore sportsbooks at -163 and Kevin de Bruyne fit again to boss the midfield, the likelihood of Phillips adding to his meager game time with the champions is slim. Back in September, City boss Pep Guardiola admitted that including Phillips in the starting line-up is difficult.

We have our own specific way to play and [he] sometimes struggles in a few things, while the previous [Leeds style] was perfect.

These words alone indicate why the 28-year-old has only accumulated 31 games for Man City in all competitions since joining the club, the same number he has in caps for England.  Since signing, Phillips has played 911 minutes of football for the English champions, meaning that The Citizens have forked out over $58,500 for every minute the player has featured.

Kalvin Phillips needs to play more football if he’s to feature in Gareth Southgate’s England squad in the upcoming UEFA Euro 2024 tournament beginning in Germany in June. At Euro 2020 in the UK, the then-Leeds defensive midfielder played in every single match of the tournament, effectively partnering Declan Rice as the co-hosts reached the final.

Although Southgate has been loyal to the City man despite his lack of playing time, Phillips’ appearances during Euro ’24 qualifying dwindled to only four games from eight, with only a single start among them. It’s safe to say that, without being truly match-sharp, Kalvin Phillips’ international value will continue to diminish. The only way he’ll likely remedy this is to leave The Etihad for greener pastures.

Where Will Kalvin Phillips Go?

Phillips will likely leave Man City during the current transfer window. By rights, the midfielder should have a wide choice of destinations, but it’s more complicated in practice. Phillips’ current employers have spent a lot of money on his transfer and contract and will look to recoup as much as they can from potential suitors before agreeing to let him leave.

Kalvin Phillips is linked with a move to Juventus.
Kalvin Phillips is linked with a move to Juventus. (Source: Caught Offise/ The Indian Express)

In the past, Phillips has reportedly drawn interest from all of the top Premier League clubs, while rumors of moves to Germany and Italy have also surfaced. Of the EPL rumors, Liverpool, Man Utd, and Tottenham have moved in other directions, but the others never go away entirely. Arsenal and Newcastle remain potential candidates, while interest from Juventus in Serie A is gathering momentum.

According to the media, West Ham is the latest EPL club to enquire about Phillips, with David Moyes a long-time fan. In The Hammers’ case, the deal would be a loan, but much depends on whether Man City will budge on the almost $9 million loan fee requested. Presently, West Ham remains Phillips’ most likely destination.

A move to Arsenal would make sense, as Phillips could renew his established international midfield partnership with Rice. As Thomas Partey’s frequent injuries have left a defensive midfield void at The Emirates, Phillips could immediately solve a problem for Mikel Arteta.

Until recently, Newcastle appeared keen to sign Phillips to replace the banned Sando Tonali and Joelinton, his injured teammate. Man City’s demands for its backup player have caused The Magpies to withdraw from negotiations, meaning St James Park is no longer a destination for the Englishman.

Juventus could scupper West Ham’s negotiations with the Turin giants reportedly still seriously considering a bid. One way or another, it’s likely that Kalvin Phillips will be swapping City’s blue for a different jersey color during January. What that color is remains to be seen.

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