Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool really want to sign Kalvin Phillips from Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, but Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United pose a major problem.
That is according to TuttoJuve, which has named the two clubs that are favourites to sign Phillips in the January transfer window.
So, what is being reported about Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips, Liverpool and Newcastle United? Let’s take a look.
What’s the story?
Well, according to TuttoJuve, Liverpool and Newcastle United are among the clubs who are keen on signing Kalvin Phillips from Premier League rivals Manchester City in the January transfer window.
The Italian news outlet has claimed that Liverpool “really like” the former Leeds United midfielder, adding that his “tenacity” and work ethic would fit in with manager Jurgen Klopp’s “visions”.
Tuttojuve has noted that Italian giants Juventus are interested in Phillips as well, but their hopes of signing the £150,000-a-week (Spotrac) England international are fading away.
According to the report, Newcastle and Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich are the current favourites for Phillips, who was described as “a formidable talent” with “fantastic ability and quality” by City Director of Football, Txiki Begiristain on the club’s official website.
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Newcastle United more likely than Liverpool to sign Kalvin Phillips
I believe that Newcastle United stand a better chance of signing Kalvin Phillips from Manchester City than Liverpool.
In my view, City, who won the Premier League, the UEFA Champions League and the FA Cup last season, are not going to sell Phillips to Liverpool in the middle of the season.
After all, Liverpool, along with Arsenal, are City’s main challengers for the Premier League title this season. So, why would Pep Guardiola let one of his players leave for a direct rival?
True, Phillips has been a peripheral figure at City since his move from Leeds, but that does not mean that he would not be a success at another club such as Liverpool and Arsenal, who reportedly want to sign the Englishman as a potential replacement for Thomas Partey.
Liverpool wanted to sign Phillips in the summer transfer window, and it seems they remain keen on him.
Newcastle are not going to challenge for the Premier League title this season and could take a while to reach City’s level.
I believe that City would find Newcastle a ‘safer’ club to offload Phillips to than Liverpool.