Aston Villa keen on Kalvin Phillips

Aston Villa are keen to make a move for 27-year-old England star and wantaway Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips.

According to Football Insider, Aston Villa could break their club record for Kalvin Phillips in the summer. Unai Emery wants a top-draw midfielder to shore up his options and has identified the 27-year-old England star, who continues to endure a difficult time at Manchester City.

Kalvin Phillips was Leeds United’s most important player. And after helping the side avoid relegation, he asked to leave. The club obliged as Manchester City came up with a sizeable offer to sign the 27-year-old England star as Pep Guardiola sought midfield cover for Rodri.

Things have not gone to plan for the midfielder, who hoped to compete with Rodri and possibly play at least half the games. He has featured in 14 matches across all competitions, garnering 365 minutes.

From suffering a shoulder injury to Guardiola’s criticism after the World Cup for being overweight, Phillips may not have a future at the club. Manchester City could entertain offers around the £45 million mark, closer to what they paid Leeds.

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Leeds United were reportedly keen to re-sign Phillips, but the midfielder is uninterested in a return. That does not rule out a move away from Manchester City, as he looks to play regularly from next season, which seems unlikely under Guardiola now.

Aston Villa are keen to take him, as per the report. Unai Emery has been a resounding success at the club since his arrival and will want to strengthen the squad significantly in the off-season. The Midlands outfit are gunning for European qualification, as their position on the table certainly shows there is a possibility.

Emery wants a new midfielder who can dictate the tempo in his squad and wants someone to compete with Douglas Luiz. Matteo Guendouzi remains an option since the January window after the Frenchman refused to leave Marseille midway through the season.

As per reports, Villa are ready to pay a huge fee to secure the former Arsenal star who flourished under Emery at the Emirates. Now, with the availability of Phillips, the Spanish manager could ponder making an offer which could break their previous transfer record of £33 million for Emi Buendia.

Villa are financially capable of making a move for Phillips. The 27-year-old England star could open his doors, particularly if Villa make it into Europe next season. He wants to play regularly and could flourish under the tutelage of Emery.

Manchester City may not try too hard to retain the star and could open the doors if they get the right fee. The £45 million requests may seem too steep considering the limited game time the midfielder’s had. But that is his current market value.