Newcastle are preparing a summer move for out-of-favour Manchester City star Kalvin Phillips, according to reports.
What’s the latest on Newcastle’s interest in Kalvin Phillips?
Kalvin Phillips had a stellar 2020/21 season with Leeds United, earning a starting spot for England as they reached the final of Euro 2020 and winning the Three Lions’ player of the year award in 2021.
These standout performances attracted the attention of Manchester City, who spent £45m to bring the midfielder to the Etihad Stadium last summer.
After a disappointing, injury-hit first season in Manchester, however, 90min is reporting that City are already looking to offload the 27-year-old, with Newcastle among the clubs vying for his signature.
Phillips has managed just 56 minutes of Premier League action and his only starts for the club have been against Bristol City and Southampton in the cups.
The report suggests that City will not stand in the way of an exit and could sanction an initial loan with a view to a permanent deal, as it seems recouping their outlay is unlikely.
Should Newcastle move for Phillips?
Despite his struggles this season, Phillips remains a top-level midfielder who would prove valuable to any team if he was able to replicate the form he showed for Leeds, and then for his national team.
Last season the Leeds-born star made the most passes into the final third per 90 (4.46), the most touches in the midfield third per 90 (37.7) and had the bests points per game record for players to make more than seven appearances for his hometown team.
It is this kind of influence that led to Leeds captain Liam Cooper telling Sky Sports News the Yorkshireman is “one of the best midfielders in the world” (via Sport Bible), as well as pundit Danny Higginbotham labelling him “exceptional” on talkSPORT.
However, it is his injury record that causes concern with the Leeds-born star missing 37 matches since the start of the 2020/21 campaign – as per Transfermarkt.
The £150k-per-week ace has admitted this has made his first season in Manchester “very difficult“.
Phillips would therefore provide a potentially shrewd move for Newcastle and director of football Dan Ashworth if they can negotiate an initial loan deal, without an obligation to buy, to ensure that they will not be stuck with dead wood in their squad if his injury issues persist.