Manchester City are ready to take a considerable financial hit on Kalvin Phillips, with one EFL club looking to sign the player on loan this summer.
Phillips has endured a nightmare spell at West Ham United since joining them on loan in the January transfer window.
The move was supposed to help get Phillips back on track, under a managed who has long admired him.
But Phillips, whose confidence has taken a serious knock as a result of not playing at Manchester City, has fallen way short of expectations.
The midfielder has made errors leading to goals, been sent off, made headlines for reacting to fan criticism and is now injured.
Arguably, it could not really have gone any worse, and it has been reported recently that West Ham will not be buying the player permanently.
Phillips has looked a shadow of the player he was at Leeds United.
The 28-year-old just appears to have zero confidence when he steps onto the pitch at the moment, which is understandable looking back on his time at City.
With West Ham not wanting to sign him permanently, there is now word of interest from his former club Leeds.
The Daily Mail are reporting that the Whites are ready to explore a potential loan deal for their former star. But it would depend on them securing promotion to the Premier League.
Currently, they sit third in the Championship, but just two points behind leaders Ipswich Town. But second-placed Leicester City have a game in hand on both.
If Leeds do go up, automatically or via the play-offs, then they could move for Phillips.
It is claimed Manchester City would want £30 million to sell the player. Phillips’ wages of £150,000 per week could also prove problematic for Leeds.
City should cut losses on Phillips
There may be a temptation for City to loan Phillips out again next season, with big offers unlikely to be forthcoming after his struggles at West Ham.
But one does wonder if it would just be best to sell Phillips for a cut-price fee and just admit the move did not work out.
City rarely make mistakes in the transfer market. But the signing of Phillips – branded ‘intelligent’ by Pep Guardiola shortly after joining City – was clearly one, and at this point, it may just be the right move to offload him at a fraction of that initial £45 million fee.
Phillips needs freeing from his association with City, and to completely start afresh at another club.
It remains to be seen what will happen this summer. But it’s very possible that if he is to move on permanently, then he will need to accept a lower salary as a result of his recent form.
