West Ham United are reportedly eyeing a January swoop for Nathaniel Phillips, who is likely to be available for £12 million.
According to Football Insider, West Ham United are considering a move for Nathaniel Phillips. The Premier League high-flyers are in the market for defensive reinforcements in the upcoming January transfer window, with the Liverpool centre-back being identified as one of the ideal candidates.
After enjoying his professional breakthrough during Liverpool’s injury-ravaged campaign this season, Phillips has fallen out of favour at Anfield this term. With Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip returning to full fitness and the club bringing in Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig, he has found it difficult to gain regular game-time.
Almost halfway through the new season, Phillips is yet to appear in a single game for Liverpool in the Premier League. In fact, his only considerable appearances this season came in the form of 45 minutes of action during the second round of the Carabao Cup victory over Preston North End. He did feature in the Champions League against Atletico Madrid as well, but only as a last-minute substitution.
His struggles with a lack of game-time have now led to speculations over his long-term future at Anfield. It appears West Ham are already prepared to offer the Englishman the opportunity to redeem himself by signing him in the upcoming January transfer window.
The 24-year-old has emerged as an ideal alternative to the club’s priority target, James Tarkowski. Although the Hammers are preparing a final bid for the Burnley defender, he is unlikely to leave Turf Moor in January, forcing West Ham to consider a move for Phillips.
The Liverpool defender is likely to serve as a direct replacement for Angelo Ogbonna at West Ham during the second half of the campaign. The former Juventus star had picked up a senior injury earlier in the season, which may rule him out for almost the entirety of the campaign.
David Moyes is keen on addressing this void by bringing in Phillips. The Liverpool centre-back may not provide much experience at the highest level of football, but he had made a solid impression with his dogged defensive nature last season, and his defensive philosophy may tune in well under Moyes’s tactical setup at West Ham.
Moreover, Phillips is unlikely to cost a fortune as well, with Liverpool reportedly prepared to cash in on him for a fee of just £12 million in the upcoming January transfer window.
