(Credit: Imago)
Mon 21 July 2025 10:32, UK
Kalvin Phillips has reacted to a new update from Leeds United winger Wilfried Gnonto amid rumours of the Man City outcast potentially re-joining the Whites this summer.
Phillips has struggled to ever nail down a place in the Citizens’ starting eleven since he joined them from his boyhood club Leeds for an initial £42million [Sky Sports] fee back in 2022.
The defensive midfielder has made just 31 appearances under Pep Guardiola since the move, and he spent time out on loan at West Ham in 2023/24 before moving to newly-promoted Ipswich Town for the 2024/25 campaign last summer.
Another exit looks likely this summer following his tough spell at Portman Road, and former scout Mick Brown first revealed to Football Insider back in March that Phillips is eager to re-join Leeds soon as he eyes a permanent departure from the Etihad.
A return to Elland Road has been mooted as a possibility for Phillips in the coming months, and Football Insider recently revealed that Pep Guardiola wants Man City to sell Phillips this summer, so an exit is clearly still very likely.
Phillips did not impress at Ipswich last season (Credit Imago)Gnonto shares post after Leeds pre-season clash
Leeds returned to the Premier League after two seasons away as champions of the Championship last term, and Gnonto was pivotal to their success with nine goals and six assists in 46 appearances.
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Daniel Farke’s side got their pre-season preparations underway with a 0-0 draw against rivals Man United in Sweden on Saturday (19 July), and the Italian winger posted some pictures of him in action to his Instagram feed following the clash.
Phillips fuelled rumours of an Elland Road return by liking Gnonto’s post, despite the pair never having played together before, while Joe Rodon, Sean Longstaff, Ethan Ampadu, Joel Piroe and exit-linked Whites man Illan Meslier were among those that also left likes.
Phillips should go abroad with Leeds move unlikely
Football Insider verdict
Returning to Elland Road, where he was a vital member of Leeds’ squad and loved by their fans, would make sense for Phillips to do on the face of it, but a move does seem unlikely due to a few different factors.
Leeds will not want to spend the money that Man City will potentially demand to sign Phillips this summer, given his age and recent tough loan spells, while Farke simply does not need a player of his ilk in his squad for the new season.
Phillips’ Leeds career stats
The Whites already have the likes of Ao Tanaka, Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev as depth in defensive midfield, while Farke recently moved to sign Longstaff from Newcastle and Leeds are closing in on capturing Hoffenheim enforcer Anton Stach [The Athletic], so it seems unlikely that they sign another player in that position soon.
He should instead look to move overseas this summer, with a change of scenery and culture possibly what is needed for him to rediscover his previous good form, but a transfer is not imminent regardless after Football Insider recently revealed that Phillips will not leave Man City until he has recovered from an existing achilles injury.
At 29-years-old he is running out of years at his supposed peak, so this next move feels like a huge one for the remainder of his career, and it is clearly time to try something different after his struggles at City, West Ham and Ipswich.
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