Rumour Mongering: City Reluctant to Let Phillips Go to Liverpool Amid Links
The word is they want to avoid a repeat of the Zinchenko and Jesus transfers that turned Arsenal into a contender.
According to Italian media outlet Calciomercato, Liverpool FC are in the pack of suitors chasing Kalvin Phillips when the winter transfer window opens. Manchester City is understood to be open to the 28-year-old defensive midfielder leaving. Liverpool are reportedly behind Newcastle United and Juventus in the pecking order, although other clubs like Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United, and Borussia Dortmund are also said to have enquired.
Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth also chimed in on this rumour, and he thinks that Manchester City will not sanction a move for Phillips to Liverpool, due to them viewing the Reds as a direct rival and the results of selling Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko to Arsenal affecting their title pursuit last season.
“Maybe it’s best for everyone, especially Kalvin Phillips, if a move can happen. But he would probably want to go to one of the big six clubs, and I just wonder whether Manchester City would want to do business with what is perceived to be a rival.”
“We saw in the summer before last that they were more than happy to allow Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko to go to Arsenal, but they ended up being the main rivals to Manchester City for the title.”
“We’ve been hearing noises about teams like Liverpool and other clubs being interested in Kalvin Phillips. I wonder whether they would really facilitate a move to a rival. I think, at this moment in time, Kalvin Phillips will probably just want to play football.”
That’s a reasonable conclusion, though I presume Liverpool were already aware of the low chances of a deal for the player and are probably focusing their search on other candidates. At 28-years-old, the England international is also just outside the 24/25 year-old mark the club likes to sign players at. Even with City likely wanting to dump him at this point, the English tax is not going to make this transfer a bargain, so my conclusion is that this rumour is likely not going to materialise. Move along, lads.
Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com
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