EFL Championship club Sheffield United will reportedly look to sign 20-year-old English defender Ashley Phillips from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer transfer window.
According to a report by The Sun, Ashley Phillips is the subject of interest from Sheffield United. The Blades are keen on reinforcing their defensive unit by signing a centre-back in the summer transfer window. So, the 20-year-old Tottenham Hotspur defensive prospect has emerged as a target for the South Yorkshire outfit.
The EFL Championship club will be ready to fork out £6 million to sign Phillips from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer transfer window. However, the Lilywhites have rebuffed Sheffield United, as Thomas Frank wants to integrate the Salford native into the first-team squad in the 2024/25 season.
Ashley Phillips and his Tottenham travails
Ashley Phillips has struggled to establish a foothold in the first-team squad at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium since joining the North London outfit from Blackburn Rovers in August 2023. The 20-year-old immediately went out on loan in 2023, joining Plymouth Argyle and winning the club’s Young Player of the Year award in the 2023/24 season.
Tottenham loaned Phillips out again last summer, and he enjoyed an impressive 2024/25 campaign with Stoke City. However, the England youth international has yet to make his mark for Tottenham, and a return to the EFL Championship may be on the cards this summer. Sheffield United will aim to sign the highly-rated centre-back from Tottenham.
What next?
Sheffield United’s interest in Ashley Phillips is understandable. The Blades are scouring the market for a centre-back in the summer transfer window, with the first-team squad having only two recognised central defenders. In addition, captain Jack Robinson is on the wrong side of 30.
So, the EFL Championship outfit must sign a centre-back in the summer transfer window, with Phillips emerging as a viable target. The 20-year-old Englishman may not have a bright future at Tottenham, considering Kota Takai will soon join Tottenham and likely become a first-team player.
However, while the Blades are ready to fork out £6 million to sign Phillips from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer transfer window, a deal may not see the light of day. The Lilywhites have rebuffed Sheffield United, as Thomas Frank wants to integrate the Salford native into the first-team squad in the 2024/25 season.
