Kalvin Phillips: Manchester City reach agreement for Leeds midfielder - The Athletic 24/6/22
By David Ornstein
Manchester City have reached an agreement with Leeds United
for the signing of Kalvin Phillips, The Athletic understands.
England international Phillips is moving closer to a
transfer to the Etihad following positive discussions between City and Leeds
over a fee.
City are poised to pay £42m with potential bonuses valuing
£3m.
Phillips was the club’s major midfield target in this window
and the Premier League champions stepped up their interest in him after
completing the signing of striker Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund last
week.
Leeds have been increasingly resigned to losing Phillips in
the early stages of this window with City’s intentions becoming clearer.
The 26-year-old is presently on holiday and scheduled to
report back for pre-season training with Leeds on July 4, in nine days’ time,
but progress in negotiations could see the terms of a transfer finalised next
week.
Phillips, who came through Leeds’ academy and rose to new
heights under the club’s former head coach, Marcelo Bielsa, has two years left
on his contract at Elland Road.
He has been keen on joining City since their interest
emerged, a switch which would secure him Champions League football next season
and likely cement his place in England’s squad for the World Cup in Qatar.
Leeds have already signed one midfielder this summer, Marc
Roca from Bayern Munich, but they will move to recruit another proven player in
that position if Phillips’ move to City crosses the line successfully.
RB Leipzig’s Tyler Adams is among the options they are
monitoring. Adams played under Leeds head coach Jesse Marsch at his first club,
New York Red Bulls.
It is understood, meanwhile, that 18-year-old Manchester
City midfielder Darko Gyabi could be heading to Elland Road in a £5m deal. That
transfer is being discussed separately to the Phillips deal.
What will Phillips' role be at City?
Fernandinho is leaving the Etihad at age 37 after nine
trophy-laden years’ service and Phillips, one of England’s foremost defensive
central midfielders, has been tracked by City for several months.
Discussions about recruiting him became more intense after
Fernandinho revealed in April that he would move on when his contract expired
this summer.
City manager Pep Guardiola wants competition for Rodri —
ensuring the depth of squad that allows the club to continue competing on four
fronts each season.