Leeds United may have been relegated back in 2023 after failing to replace star players, but the money they received for Kalvin Phillips is looking like smart business.
When Marcelo Bielsa got Leeds promoted back to the Premier League in 2020, and then finished ninth, not much functioned properly without Kalvin Phillips.
The Thorp Arch graduate was integral to everything Leeds did under the Argentine. Not long after Bielsa departed, Phillips did too.
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Kalvin Phillips struggling again at Manchester City following £45million Leeds United exit
Phillips’ final act as a Leeds player was to help the side to dramatic final-day survival away at Brentford. From full-time on, the writing was on the wall that both he and Raphinha would secure huge moves away.
The Yorkshire Pirlo pursued a dream move away in the summer of 2022, joining Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City for £45million. The England international formed part of the summer window that ultimately brought a historic treble to the Etihad.
Of course, though, Phillips was barely relevant to the Citizens’ domestic and European triumphs. He made four starts across all competitions while amassing a meagre 595 minutes in total.
Kalvin Phillips made four starts in 22/23 for Manchester City, and won three trophies. (REUTERS/Molly Darlington)
What followed was two loans across the Premier League. First, he joined West Ham and struggled badly. Then, he moved to Ipswich Town for the 24/25 campaign, where injuries stopped him from regaining any momentum.
He’s now on the fringes back at Man City with no transfer materialising during the summer window. Phillips has been forced to recover from achilles surgery, missing pre-season.
Leeds United cashed in on £45million Kalvin Phillips at the perfect time
Losing Phillips even after staying in the Premier League was a gut-wrenching development. However, it looks as though Leeds cashed out at the right time.
Following that hamstring layoff at the back end of Bielsa’s time at Leeds, Phillips failed to regain the same consistency as an imperious, ground-eating defensive midfielder.
While he’s been included in Man City’s 25-man Premier League squad, Phillips has had his squad number (#4) stripped from him by Tijani Reijnders. He’s now number #44, and is yet to even play a minute under Guardiola in the league this season. He did, however, get a run-out in the closing stages of last week’s EFL Cup win at Huddersfield Town.
His return to the squad in the cup did spark joyous reaction from his teammates, including Erling Haaland. However, his shock appearance in a City shirt once more does little to raise his stock, but more highlight his plight.
Phillips penned a six-year deal at the Etihad in the summer of 2022, meaning his deal will for a further three years until 2028. That contract may be the reason why Phillips has been unable to secure a permanent move away too. The book value (PSR) he holds and wages he still commands are surely huge relative to the impact he can have.
It begs the question of where Phillips could go next to get back to even close to his best. Leeds fans may think a romantic reunion is the only way.
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