Aston Villa are reportedly keen on signing Leeds Utd midfielder Kalvin Phillips and are prepared to offer £14m to prise him away from Elland Road.
The 23-year-old played a key role for Marcelo Bielsa’s side last season, making 46 appearances across all competitions as he established himself as a top performer in his defensive midfield position.
SEE MORE: Confirmed: Aston Villa announce second summer signing in touted £8m deal
While Leeds’ campaign ended in disappointment, Villa secured promotion back to the Premier League after winning the Championship playoffs final against Derby County last month, and so they will now continue to splash out as they look to build a squad capable of staying up this coming season.
According to The Telegraph, that could now involve a swoop for Phillips, although while it’s suggested that Dean Smith’s side are willing to offer £14m, Leeds want £20m for their top talent.
It’s noted that Phillips could become Villa’s fourth summer signing having already tied up deals for Anwar El Ghazi, Jota and Kortney Hause, while a permanent move for Tyrone Mings and a swoop for Stoke City goalkeeper Jack Butland are also on the agenda, as per the report.
In turn, it promises to be a busy summer for Villa as they continue to add quality and depth to the squad after releasing nine players in total already.
Having lost the experience and quality of the likes of Mile Jedinak and Glenn Whelan, signing a defensive midfielder in the form of Phillips would be a sensible move, while given his age and talent, he is a long-term investment for the club as they look to bring in players capable of not only keeping them in the Premier League but also pushing on up the standings in the years to come.
With that in mind, it seems like the Villa hierarchy have an astute strategy in place, but with the countdown on to the return for pre-season, they have plenty of voids to fill and will hope to wrap up more deals in the coming weeks.
