Man City's recent form gives their title competitors hope
Newcastle are reportedly eyeing a move for Manchester City outcast Kalvin Phillips and could push to acquire the services of the midfielder in the January transfer window. The England international has spoken openly about how he would like to play more frequently at club level to ensure that he remains part of Gareth Southgate’s plans for Euro 2024.
Phillips has struggled for minutes since joining City in 2022, making just 15 appearances for the club in all competitions. The ex-Leeds star has consistently been overlooked by Pep Guardiola, with the ex-Barcelona boss continuously standing by Rodri – with defenders John Stones and Rico Lewis used as rotational options instead of the midfielder.
Several clubs were linked with Phillips over the summer but the 27-year-old insisted that he wanted to stay and fight for his place at the Etihad Stadium. However, Phillips hinted that he has had a change of heart whilst out on international duty when revealing that he was prepared to move on if he still felt that he was surplus to requirements.
According to the Daily Star, City will allow Phillips to leave the club in the January transfer window, with Newcastle, West Ham and Bayern Munich already registering an interest in acquiring his services.
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Guardiola has remained positive about his feelings about the No. 4, insisting that he is happy that the playmaker wanted to remain part of his squad and talking up his influence in the dressing room. But behind the scenes, the Spaniard has shared a different message with the City higher powers.
The former Bayern Munich manager has told the club hierarchy to ‘let him depart’ in January if a sufficient offer arrives. City are also willing to entertain loan offers for Phillips, but only if there is a compulsory buyout clause and his £150,000-per-week wages are paid in full.
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The Leeds academy graduate is expected to attract further interest as the January transfer window approaches, though the prospect of playing Champions League football with Newcastle could prove very persuasive. With speculation growing that summer signing Sandro Tonali could be set to spend an extended spell on the sidelines due to allegations of illegal gambling, the Magpies are looking at short-term resolutions.
There will equally be opportunities to impress at West Ham and Bayern given that both clubs are hoping to bolster their midfield ranks in January to ensure that they have adequate depth to compete on the European stage and domestic competitions.
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