Kalvin Phillips could very well be on his way to the Toonside, caught offside claim. The England international has attracted interest from Manchester United, but Newcastle seems to be leading the race for his signature.
Phillips is one of the standout performers for Leeds. But with a possibility of relegation this season, he would be considering his future.
Phillips has worked his way up from the Leeds United academy, making his first-team debut in 2015. He has made 48 appearances for the club after their promotion under Marcelo Bielsa, scoring 1 goal and 3 assists. A deep-lying midfielder by trade, Kalvin Phillips is full of energy and specializes in dictating play from deep, finding wingers and fullbacks from his diagonal balls forward. His performances rewarded him with a national team call-up, and he started every game in England’s run to the Euro 2020 final.
A move to the resurgent Newcastle side would make sense. They have a young core of Guimaraes and Joelinton, where Phillips would fit like a glove. Manchester United is another likely option. But the connection to Leeds may see Phillips rejecting a move to Old Trafford on account of the animosity between the two clubs. Furthermore, United are not in the best of conditions as of now, which makes them an even lesser attractive option.
Overall, it seems that a move away from Elland Road is in sight for Phillips. Leeds had a fantastic first season, but owing to fatigue and second season syndrome, have dipped quite a lot. Marcelo Bielsa is no longer around, and Jesse Marsch doesn’t look likely to save them from the drop. It would perhaps be best for Leeds to allow Phillips to leave, as they can get a hefty sum of money which can be used to improve and refresh their squad.
