Newcastle United have reportedly joined Tottenham Hotspur in expressing interest in Blackburn Rovers centre-back Ashley Phillips.
According to The Sun, Newcastle United are interested in signing Blackburn Rovers’ central defensive sensation Ashley Phillips. But Premier League rivals Tottenham are hoping that they could yet sign the young defender for just £2 million.
Phillips enjoyed a breakout campaign for Blackburn Rovers last term, featuring eight times with a further six appearances across all competitions. The highly-rated defender has also made several appearances for England across various youth levels over the past two years.
It is surprising that Ashley Phillips is still a Blackburn player at this point in the transfer window, with the Championship club in desperate need of the cash. Indeed, as reported by many outlets a couple of weeks ago, Spurs thought that they had reached an agreement to sign Phillips.
The 18-year-old was even thought to have undergone his Tottenham medical; however, it was later revealed the North London outfit had not met Blackburn Rovers’ valuation. The Lilywhites had initially planned to sign Phillips for £2 million. But the move has stalled over Rovers’ new asking price.
The Sun says Rovers are demanding £9.45 million to sell the defender, with £5 million upfront immediately. The Championship outfit then want the rest of the money to arrive in the form of bonuses. £150,000 will be when Phillips starts at his new club and ten bonuses in all after a set number of appearances, up to 80 games.
Indeed, Spurs have been rocked by Blackburn’s demands and are waiting for the reported £2 million escape clause to kick in on Friday, so they could land the talented youngster for a bargain fee. The report adds that there has been some fresh interest from Newcastle in Phillips, although they have not offered more than Spurs to leapfrog the North London outfit in this transfer race just yet.
Newcastle are well-backed by their uber-rich owners. But they need to ensure they are complying with financial fair play regulations. That is why they need to make sure they are not overspending to get their targets. Star winger Allan Saint-Maximin’s departure to free up some funds for Harvey Barnes’ capture represents their approach.
With Paul Dummett, Fabian Schar, Jamaal Lascelles, and Dan Burn all either nearing or well into their thirties, there is definitely a need to have some younger blood in the central defensive department, especially a right-footed, pacy defender who could serve as cover for Schar.
Standing at 6ft 3in, Phillips is athletic, fast, and aggressive in ground duels, and composed with the ball at his feet. He clearly fits the bill; however, splashing over £5 million for a backup player amid FFP constraints may not be a wise idea. They should surely be looking to secure his services when the £2 million clause becomes active.
