Kalvin Phillips’ new contract with Leeds United is set to be worth around £20,000-a-week, according to The Athletic journalist Phil Hay.
The former Yorkshire Evening Post reporter claimed via The Athletic’s website that Phillips, 23, will have his new five-year deal worth £5.2million confirmed tomorrow [Monday] after a month of negotiations.
It is understood that Phillips’ agent tried to include a release clause in his new contract that would allow the midfielder to leave Elland Road for a set fee if the Whites fail to win promotion to the Premier League.
However it is not exactly clear whether or not that clause will be included in the player’s new contract.
Can Leeds keep Phillips?
Hay reports that Aston Villa made an approach to sign Phillips in the summer transfer window after the Midlands side won promotion to the Premier League but they were not prepared to match Leeds’ £20million-plus valuation of the 23-year-old.
Villa reportedly made a verbal offer of £15million, which was clearly turned down, but it remains to be seen if they, or any other top-flight club, will come back in to try and sign the midfielder in January or next summer.
If Leeds don’t win promotion this season then it could be very tough for them to keep hold of Phillips.
Although it is not quite clear from the report on The Athletic’s website, there could well be a release clause in the midfielder’s new contract that would allow him to join a Premier League side should the Whites fail to go up.
Likely to happen?
Leeds are currently third in the Championship standings after suffering their first defeat of the season last time out when they played Swansea, who now lead the way in the race for promotion.
Swansea were not a team that many had tipped for promotion this term but they could well be up there come next May, while West Brom and Fulham are also sides that Leeds should be wary of.
If Leeds can go up this season then they will not need to worry about Phillips, unless one of the top-six sides came in for him with a huge offer.
However there is still a lot of football to play and no one can properly predict what will happen in the Championship.