Leeds fans have reacted to Phil Hay’s claim that Leeds rejected a £27m bid for Kalvin Phillips over the summer.
And they’re split. Some don’t believe that Leeds would have been offered that much money for the midfielder, and others are delighted and think the club will get promoted this season with Bielsa at the helm and Phillips as the engine.
COLUMN | @PhilHay_
Leeds rejected a £27m offer this summer, worried breaking their vow to Bielsa not to sell Phillips would leave them looking for a new manager. https://t.co/xwnKsyiO0q
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) September 12, 2019
Kalvin Phillips signed a new five-year deal this week after a summer of speculation that saw Phillips linked with Aston Villa and other Premier League clubs.
Hay wrote in the Athletic that Leeds rejected the £27m bid and thought that selling Phillips could mean looking for a new manager as well.
Hay added that a buy-out clause was in the contract that would enable Phillips to realise his Premier League dream if Leeds miss out on promotion.
Here are the best reactions to the news from Leeds fans:
27m? Surely not, had a great season but if we could barely get 13m for Jack Clarke no way anyone bid 27m for KP
— Jack Button (@JackButton) September 12, 2019
I don’t believe that we were offered that much. Sounds like Kinnear BS to me
— Paul Mundy (@mundy_paul) September 12, 2019
https://twitter.com/robhlufc/status/1172217503403012096
Phil Hay is the Oracle as far as Leeds fans are concerned and it’s not often that fans doubt him – one supporter puts the blame firmly at CEO Angus Kinnear’s door, and obviously thinks it’s spin from the Leeds chief.
However, it has been reported by other sources too, including the reliable Football Insider.
https://twitter.com/oioiMOT/status/1172231218764664836
Wow didn’t know that mot alaw
— Jonathan Dodson (@Jonatha27707658) September 12, 2019
https://twitter.com/isaaclufc_/status/1172221830620274688
There were other fans who were more loyal to Phillips with one fan taking a completely different view and saying £27m was “not enough by a long shot”.
£27m is a huge amount of money for a Championship player but Phillips has been tipped for an England call-up and if that happens his value could potentially increase.
So basically if we don't go up and bielsa more than likely leaves he's gone for £30M
— Nathan Cade (@NathanCade_) September 13, 2019
We could lose both if we don’t go up this season.But we’ll get promoted..won’t we!The transformation of Kalvin under Bielsa is amazing.Goes to show the power of a great coach.Hockaday,with tactics demonstrated via salt and pepper shakers, won’t have had the same impact I suspect
— Rich T (@rt1979rt) September 12, 2019
One fan thinks that Phillips will be sold if Leeds don’t go up and another said they’d lose both him and Marcelo Bielsa.
That adds up to a high-stakes season for Leeds, who are currently in third place in the league after six games.