According to Calciomercato.it, Liverpool have joined the race to sign Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips ahead of the January transfer window.
Phillips has had a tough period since joining Man City from Leeds United last year and he has made only 30 appearances for them – the vast majority from the bench. The 28-year-old is desperate to play regularly next year to make the Euro 2024 squad with England and he could leave next month as a result.
Calciomercato say that Juventus are one of the clubs interested in signing him, but they go on to mention that Liverpool have joined the pursuit in ‘the last few hours’. Newcastle United are also admirers of the defensive midfielder, but City’s owners prefer him moving abroad which hands an advantage to Juventus.
Unlikely deal
Liverpool are currently in the mix for the top-flight title. They are only 1 point behind current league leaders Arsenal and could go top of the standings this weekend by beating the Gunners at Anfield. Despite this, there are some concerns in their midfield with the lack of a quality defensive midfielder to provide control.
Wataru Endo has got the duties over the past few matches, but the Japanese has been inconsistent with his performances. He has at times struggled to cope with the league’s intensity. A player like Phillips would be perfect for the Reds as he has played for City and Leeds, who are both known for their persistent pressing.
However, we don’t see a deal happening in January. City would not want to strengthen a different title rival at the halfway stage of the season. They could share the same view on Newcastle, who are only 5 points behind them at the moment. Hence, a move abroad would be the best choice for the £45 million signing, though Juventus are likely to propose an initial loan deal. The Serie A giants may propose to include an optional buy clause for next summer.
