This summer could be an interesting one in the Premier League, with Leeds apparently ready to do battle with four of their Premier League rivals to the signing of one Manchester City star.
It’s possible that they might also be in the box seat given that Kalvin Phillips only signed for the Citizens from the Elland Road outfit a year ago.
According to 90Min, Pep Guardiola’s side are understood to be willing to accede to an initial loan deal with an option to buy the player.
The issue Phillips may find is his astronomical wages presenting a real problem. Salary Sport note that when he was at Leeds he was earning £38,000 per week, but then saw a huge rise to £160,000 per week when signing on at the Etihad Stadium.
In Leeds’ current precarious position, they’re unlikely to be able to get anywhere close to that figure, and if they were to be relegated it’s almost certain they’d be out of the running.
West Ham, Wolves, Leicester and Newcastle are rumoured to be the other interested parties (per 90Min), though it isn’t clear if they too would struggle to find that sort of spend for a player that has only played for 56 minutes in the Premier League this season, per WhoScored.
Alongside Declan Rice, Phillips was a shoo-in for the England squad 18 months ago, however, his international chances have pretty much evaporated since his move to City.
If Phillips wants to resurrect any international ambitions he holds, it’s clear that he needs minutes on the pitch, so a summer move may be best for all parties.
Should he get back to anywhere close to the form he showed to get England recognition in the first place, any potential buyers would be getting themselves a bargain.
Still just 27 years of age, the player has got a few years left in the tank yet.