Newcastle United are considering a swoop for Manchester City outcast Kalvin Phillips, with the Tyneside club looking to bolster the ranks after qualifying for the Champions League.
What's the latest on Kalvin Phillips to Newcastle?
According to the Telegraph, Toon technical director Dan Ashworth is pursuing a move for the England international but has been left frustrated by the player's desire to stay at the Etihad Stadium and fight for his place next season.
Recently touted at £35m, the 27-year-old has only started for Pep Guardiola's outfit four times across all competitions this term after completing a £45m transfer from Leeds United last summer.
Despite the midfielder's public desire to remain in Manchester, the Magpies' offer of a starring role could be too enticing to resist as the transfer window takes centre-stage, especially if Guardiola is unable to provide Phillips with assurances over the number of minutes he will be provided next year.
Should Newcastle sign Kalvin Phillips?
Despite flattering to deceive with the Premier League champions – though his impact at the club was hampered by detrimental early injury issues that sidelined him for much of the first phase of the season – Phillips is a proven midfield titan on top-flight soil.
Instrumental for Leeds in reclaiming a spot among England's elite and starring during a resounding 20/21 term where the entertaining Whites clinched ninth place – just three points away from European qualification – the £160k-per-week ace cemented himself as one of the most robust midfielders in the division.
Indeed, across those two campaigns, Phillips completed 82% and 84.5% of his passes, 2.6 and 2.7 tackles per game and 1.2 and 0.5 key passes per outing, as per WhoScored.
Former teammate Barry Douglas said, "as a defensive midfielder with an array of passing skills, Kalvin Phillips is probably the best I’ve played with", while former Whites boss Neil Redfearn remarked, "Bielsa has made Kalvin an expert deep-lying midfielder but he could do both roles.”
With Magpies boss Eddie Howe seeking to bolster his midfield this summer, Phillips could be a shrewd alternative to touted West Ham United star Declan Rice, with the £100m-valued man attracting attention from a plethora of top European outfits, including Newcastle, ahead of the forthcoming transfer window.
Rice has been lauded as an "absolute monster" by ESPN UK editor David Cartlidge and ranks among the top 20% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive passes, the top 15% for progressive carries, the top 5% for interceptions and the top 17% for clearances per 90, as per FBref.
Phillips is capable of replicating such metrics, evidenced in the Premier League with Leeds, notably ranking in the top 8% of midfielders in the division throughout 2021/22 for tackles and interceptions combined.
Provided license to cement a prominent role at St. James' Park, he might just harness the full might of his skill set.
