Kalvin Phillips could have an emotional return to Elland Road after LEEDS’ promotion to the Premier League.
Moreover, his hometown club might be able to re-sign their former captain for a significantly lower fee than the £42 million Manchester City paid three years ago.
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Credit: Rex
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Credit: Getty
After spending 12 years at Leeds, Phillips departed in 2022, earning the moniker the Yorkshire Pirlo from fans.
However, in his initial two seasons at City, he made just six starts, leading manager Pep Guardiola to comment on his weight after the 2022 World Cup.
Although Guardiola later apologized, the midfielder remained on the bench at the Etihad, spending the second half of last season on loan at West Ham.
In August, he joined newly promoted Ipswich but has only secured 16 starts and netted one goal during a lackluster time at Portman Road.
This marks a significant decline for the player, who was instrumental in Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds squad that achieved promotion to the Premier League in 2020, ending a 16-year hiatus.
Daniel Farke, the current manager at Elland Road, is aware of the need to enhance his team for the Premier League return.
A transfer for Phillips could be advantageous for both the player and Leeds, particularly in demonstrating that he can excel at the highest level.
SunSport was the first to exclusively report on Leeds’ interest in Phillips last month.
Additionally, he showed his interest by “liking” a post highlighting the impressive performance of Elland Road winger Dan James back in February.
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A potential move is gaining traction.
This also comes as Farke addresses speculation regarding his own position.
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Concerns have been raised about whether Leeds’ US-based owners, 49s Enterprises, have confidence in his ability to manage the team in the Premier League.
In response to whether he felt undermined, Farke said: “Not at all, it’s not surprising.
“I was aware of what I was signing up for; I’m not sure how many managers Leeds have cycled through in the past twenty years, but lasting three months is quite the feat.
“Once you sign a contract, there’s substantial pressure, noise, and expectations.
“Every week, someone else is rumored for the role. It’s nothing out of the ordinary.”
