Leeds CEO Angus Kinnear has said that Leeds are “very close” to a new deal for midfielder Kalvin Phillips.
In a snippet from an interview set to air at 6pm on BBC Radio Leeds, Kinnear said, “He is at the heart of what we want to achieve… I think we are very close.”
That will come as a huge boost to Leeds fans who were scared they were going to lose their star player over the summer.
Leeds resisted strong interest from Aston Villa, among others, in the summer and back in August Kinnear said of Phillips: “I can’t think of another team in the league who’ve kept a £20 million player. That was very important for us.” [The Athletic]
Kinnear’s update comes after Football Insider reported that owner Andrea Radrizzani had given the green light to a new contract offer for Phillips that could be worth up to £40k-a-week. The report claimed Leeds were confident they would be able to make an announcement this week.
? PHILLIPS CLOSE TO NEW DEAL!
? "He is at the heart of what we want to achieve…I think we are very close"
? #LUFC managing director Angus Kinnear has told @BBCLeeds they are closing in on a new deal for Kalvin Phillips.
? Full interview from 6pmhttps://t.co/qYfeBxfeLH pic.twitter.com/yLKjUCIqvv
— BBC Sport West Yorkshire (@BBCWYS) September 4, 2019
Phillips deal would be huge
Phillips was a standout player for Leeds last season and he’s taken that form into the new 19/20 campaign.
According to stats site WyScout, Phillips has upped his pass success rate from last season from 86.3% to 88.1% this season.
In the win against Wigan, he completed more passes (71) and more long passes (16/20) than any other player on the pitch [LUFCDATA].
According to WhoScored, Phillips hasn’t dropped below a 7 rating in the Championship all season and was the highest-rated player on the pitch in the game against Brentford.
He’s the player that gets Leeds going in the middle of the park and it’s his consistency that makes him such an important player.
Kalvin Phillips’ passing range v Wigan deserves highlighting. He completed 71 passes, more than any other player on the pitch. He also completed 16/20 long passes (more than any other player). Sublime, pinpoint switching of play, slotting balls into the channels & final third.? pic.twitter.com/RCeOEzFe86
— LUFCDATA (@LUFCDATA) August 17, 2019
He’s out of contract in 2021 and a new long-term deal could put him in the same bracket as Leeds’ highest-paid players, Kiko Casilla and Patrick Bamford.
When you look at what he provides for Leeds that would seem like the least he deserves.