When Kalvin Phillips signed for West Ham on loan in January, it was seen as a fresh start for the England international after his Man City nightmare.
Unfortunately, the move has quickly proven to be a failed experiment, with the midfielder culpable for a number of goals in the handful of games that he’s played for the East Londoners.
Whilst it’s unclear if he’s fully fit or not, the fact that he couldn’t get into Pep Guardiola’s side for long periods would suggest a lack of match sharpness, and that’s certainly appeared to be the case in some games.
His lethargy has arguably been to blame for a series of misplaced passes and a slower speed of thought than opponents.
Once the season is over, there’s little chance of the Hammers deciding to take up their option on him, and it will see their attentions turn to trying to secure Everton’s Amadou Onana.
The Toffees powerhouse has a number of admirers thanks to the physical nature of his game and his athleticism, however, the 22-year-old won’t come cheap.
Kalvin Phillips failure will see West Ham target Amadou Onana
According to Football Insider, the East Londoners will have to stump up in the region of £60m to land him, virtually double what they might’ve paid when interested before, only to see the player choose Everton.
Onana still has a contract with Everton until 2027, and the only hope that West Ham might have of landing the player for a smaller fee is if the Merseysiders are relegated or are hit hard by Financial Fair Play.
What appears to be almost certain is that Onana will leave the club as his sale price will help to ease FFP worries, though it would clearly weaken Sean Dyche’s midfield.
Whether David Moyes will be around to see whether Onana pitches up or not is another question that needs answering in due course.