Leeds United have now made contact over the signing of an “incredible” £50million player, with the 49ers looking to complete a deal in the January transfer window.
Leeds look to strengthen despite poor form
After a strong start to the season, beating Everton 1-0 on the opening day, Leeds’ survival hopes have taken a major blow in the last two months, having lost five of their last six Premier League games, meaning they have now fallen into the relegation zone.
Gary Neville recently suggested the warning signs were there from the start, saying: “I said Leeds were going to go down after watching them in the first game of the season, I thought ‘that’s not good.’ Everton were shocking that night, but I just thought Leeds…”
Things aren’t going to get any easier in the coming weeks, as Daniel Farke’s side face Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool in their next three matches, meaning they could be in even more trouble by mid-December.
As such, the 49ers may need to bring in some new faces in the January transfer window, and they have already started working on potential new signings, with a report from the Mirror revealing that Leeds have now inquired about the loan signing of Kalvin Phillips from Manchester City.
However, Whites want Phillips’ current employers to make a major contribution to his astronomical £250,000-a-week salary, which could be a stumbling block and, as things stand, a deal is unlikely to be reached.
Since joining the Etihad Stadium for £50million in 2022, the midfielder’s career has been on a downward trajectory and he is ready to move abroad, having returned to full fitness after suffering a serious Achilles tendon injury in pre-season.
‘Amazing’ Phillips still has time to get his career back on track
Pep Guardiola has personally expressed sympathy for how the Englishman’s career has turned out, describing him as an “incredible person”, but the Man City ace still has time to get things back on track, given he is still only 29 years old.
That said, it would be a risk for Leeds to re-sign their former player, given he has struggled to find game time this season, appearing for just seven minutes, in City’s 2-0 EFL Cup triumph over Huddersfield Town.
Leeds now plotting January move for ‘outstanding’ £17.5m Champions League striker
Los Blancos are looking to recruit a new center forward this winter.
In his time, the 31-time England international is capable of great things, having particularly impressed for the Three Lions at Euro 2021.
As such, if a low-cost loan were an option, it might be worth betting on Phillips, who is represented by the same agent as Wilfried Gnonto, but it may take him some time to get back to his best, having barely played for City.
