Matt Phillips is a “very important player” for West Brom, claims Express & Star journalist Luke Hatfield.
Phillips recently put pen to paper on a contract extension that will take his stay at The Hawthorns to the summer of 2024.
Upon the signing of his new contract, West Brom manager Valerien Ismael praised Phillips for his versatility and described him as a player that the Baggies “need”.
Did Phillips deserve a new contract?
Yes
No
And it is a sentiment shared by Hatfield, though he has admitted that he was surprised by the length of his new deal.
Speaking to TIF about Phillips, the West Brom journalist said:
“He’s very important for Albion. Fans may not have been delighted to see such a lengthy deal handed out to the player. It may have been a slight surprise, but I wasn’t surprised to see him handed a new deal.
“The length of it maybe shocked me a little bit, but he is an important player for Albion. He can play in a multitude of positions.”
As per Transfermarkt, Phillips has played on the right, on the left and just behind the striker in his career.
In West Brom’s pre-season, Ismael even used the 30-year-old as an actual striker, so he is indeed a very versatile player. It makes it no surprise that the new Baggies boss wanted to keep him around the club.