Aston Villa will reportedly have to fork out a sum of £60 million if they wish to secure the services of Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips.
According to Daily Telegraph, Aston Villa have learnt how much it will take for them to sign Leeds United and England midfielder Kalvin Phillips in the upcoming summer transfer window. Having survived the threat of relegation, the Whites are now set to demand a massive fee of £60 million for the 26-year-old star.
Phillips is a product of the Leeds United youth setup and has been a mainstay in the centre of the park for several years now. The midfielder played a crucial role in the Whites earning promotion to the Premier League and helped them enjoy a memorable 2020/21 season. He endured an injury-riddled 2021/22 campaign but had a part to play in Leeds’s late push for survival as they avoided the drop.
Phillips’s performances over the past couple of years have helped the English midfielder attract several admirers from the top end of the table, with Manchester City and Manchester United being credited with an interest. Aston Villa have also emerged as serious contenders to sign the Leeds United mainstay in the summer.
Aston Villa have spent over £350 million since their return to the Premier League in 2019, but more investment is expected in the summer. They have already gotten the ball rolling with the permanent signing of Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona for £17 million while also landing Boubacar Kamara in a Bosman move and are now pushing to sign a top-quality defensive midfielder.
Douglas Luiz is entering the final year of his contract with the Midlands club and has been linked with an exit. With Marvelous Nakamba having fitness issues, Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard wants to bring in a new No. 6 as he looks to build a team capable of challenging for the European qualifying spots.
Phillips has emerged as one of the top targets, along with Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Yves Bissouma. Recent reports indicated that Aston Villa had emerged as one of the front-runners to sign the 26-year-old Leeds United superstar. And it has now been claimed that the Villans will have to pay £60 million to sign Phillips from the Yorkshire-based outfit.
Leeds would have had to accept a fee half of that if they were relegated, but having survived the Premier League relegation battle, they will demand £60 million. There will be competition for Phillips’s signing. But Aston Villa are hoping that the presence of former Leeds United captain Gary McAllister, who is Gerrard’s assistant, might help them in negotiations.
As things stand, Phillips could be on the move from Elland Road this summer. Only time will tell whether Aston Villa are willing to meet Leeds United’s £60 million demand for the Englishman.
