Kalvin Phillips’ move to Manchester City has never really worked out. He hasn’t been able to impress Pep Guardiola, and loan spells away haven’t helped either. The English international finally seems set to bring an end to his time at the Manchester-based club.
City are ready to sanction his departure, and according to a report from CaughtOffside, Wolves and Burnley are leading the race to sign the 30-year-old. Leeds United and Everton are also keen on his signature, but for now, they are just keeping tabs on his situation.
After making a name for himself while playing for Leeds, Phillips joined City in the summer of 2022 in a deal beleived to be worth around £45 million. While the club had massive expectations from the English international, he failed to establish himself in Guardiola’s team and has struggled for game time since the start.
While the 30-year-old defensive midfielder has had multiple loan spells away from the club, things haven’t really gone as planned for him. After a disappointing loan spell at Ipswich Town last time out, he ended up staying at City for the ongoing campaign.
But since he is not a part of Guardiola’s plans, Phillips has only played seven minutes of first-team football all season. He is frustrated by the lack of minutes and wants to part ways with the club. While his contract runs until 2028, City are also willing to sanction his departure, as they look to cut their losses.
His struggles at City and during his loan spells away from the club have significantly hampered his market value. While City want to ensure they recoup a significant part of the amount they had invested, they also want to get him off their books as soon as possible.
For now, the Manchester-based club are willing to open negotiations at around £10 million; they would also be willing to lower their demands if they can get him off their books on a permanent basis. However, his salary is a massive roadblock when it comes to a permanent transfer.
He currently earns around £150,000-£165,000 per week, which only a handful of top clubs in England can afford to pay. City may even be forced to subsidise part of his wages to help him find a new club. While Leeds and Everton are keeping tabs on his situation, hoping City will further lower their demands, Wolves and Burnley are front-runners for his signature.
Amidst uncertainty around Joao Gomes’ future, Wolves see him as an ideal replacement. They want to secure Phillips’ services on an initial loan deal with a buy option, as it will allow them to add quality and experience to their squad without an immediate financial outlay.
Meanwhile, Burnley are pushing hard to survive the drop and feel a player with Phillips’ experience could help their cause. They are the only club that are willing to guarantee him a spot in their starting XI, and it could certainly tilt the tide in their favour.
