Kalvin Phillips’ exit from Manchester City seems ‘very likely’ to happen in the January window with Newcastle United interested.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Kalvin Phillips and Manchester City are in consensus about a January departure. There are a few clubs interested in the beleaguered midfielder, with Pep Guardiola making it obvious the £45 million treble winner doesn’t feature in his long-term plans.
Kalvin Phillips continues to baffle onlookers with his decision to stay put at Manchester City despite having several offers. Pep Guardiola was open to letting him leave for a reasonable fee during the summer, but the £45 million treble winner chose to fight for his place.
Man City’s open pursuit of Declan Rice would have made it abundantly clear to Phillips that he’s unwanted at the club. West Ham and other clubs were growing increasingly confident about signing him, but no transfer materialised.
In recent weeks, when Man City were missing Rodri through suspension, Phillips had hoped to take his place, but Guardiola chose otherwise. While he did play a part from the bench, it wasn’t enough, as the Champions lost all three games without Rodri.
🚨🔵 Understand both City and player side consider Kalvin Phillips’ January exit ‘very likely’ at this point.
Kalvin will still fight to play as much as possible in the next two months but his plan is to be regular starter elsewhere in 2024.
🎥 https://t.co/p5YWxzrbCr pic.twitter.com/5XGq6cMCfO
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 22, 2023
Ahead of the January window, there’s a feeling he could leave the club. A recent report stated he could even forgo a significant payoff from Manchester City to seal a move away from the club. The club could open their doors for a new move, but they may have to lower their asking price.
Both City and Phillips consider a January exit ‘very likely’ as things stand. As per Fabrizio Romano, the midfielder would keep fighting for his place in the next months, but a departure from the Etihad seems more than imminent for the midfielder.
There are a host of clubs from the Premier League and abroad who could open their doors for Phillips. Many of those sides may see a place for the £45 million treble winner to slot in straight away, including West Ham United, who may still look for a new midfielder.
However, in recent times, Newcastle United have emerged as a suitor for the midfielder. Whether Manchester City will be open to letting him go to a direct rival remains the question, but possible.
Newcastle United reportedly initiated discussions to explore a move for Phillips, but there are questions over how far they have gone in that chase. For starters, the Magpies will certainly explore the idea of signing him on the cheap but could still end up paying a decent fee for the beleaguered midfielder.
Phillips would add value to any club he decides to join in January. But, wherever he goes, he would want assurances to play regularly, especially considering the Euros are around the corner.
