When Liverpool went hunting for defensive-minded midfield players during the summer of 2023 players left, right and centre were tipped to move to Anfield.
Fabinho was about to leave and Jordan Henderson was also going to follow suit, even before they left, Jurgen Klopp needed that defensive brain.
Then surprise reports emerged about Liverpool wanting to sign Manchester City’s out-of-favour midfielder Kalvin Phillips (Sky Sports).
Even though the 28-year-old won the Treble in his first season at the Etihad, he hardly featured and there were big question marks over his head.
Kalvin Phillips opted to stay and his game time under Pep Guardiola reduced even further, before he made a loan move to West Ham United in January.
Four games in and it has been nothing but a disaster from the £42 million signing, with two big mistakes, as well as getting sent off against Nottingham Forest over the weekend.
Whilst some sympathise with the player, he is getting none of that from Graeme Souness, who was quick to savage the player and even ask if he is Premier League worthy, as he told talkSPORT.
The Anfield legend feels that Kalvin Phillips only had one good season in Leeds United colours and, in total, he has only played 69 Premier League games.
Former Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew was quick to defend the player, but Graeme Souness was having none of it.
Kalvin Phillips’ nightmare start at West Ham United
“Is he a Premier League player,” asked Souness.
Alan Pardew responded by saying: “Absolutely,” to which Souness asked: “Why do you say that?”
AP added: “I think he did terrific for England.”
GS: “That’s for England. They play Micky Mouse games most of the time. I know you expect a Scotsman to say that, not just England. Scotland do as well. The teams that play today, it’s like when Yugoslavia were dissolved and you are playing eight nations from that area now. They are joke games.
“You can’t say he is a very good player, but it’s the wrong move for West Ham. I think he has played 65 games in the Premier League. He was at Leeds, comes up, one season in the Premier League, gets a big move to Manchester City. That’s on someone’s opinion. They quickly realised he was not what we thought we were getting and they moved him on.
“For me, he is still yet to prove that he is a top player in the Premier League.”
Liverpool dodged a bullet
Whether Liverpool were really keen on Phillips, or he was just another name on their transfer list, the fans will probably never know.
But they are probably grateful that nothing ever happened because Phillips is in a real struggle here.
That lack of minutes is also killing him because he is probably weeks and weeks off playing anywhere near his best for David Moyes.
What’s even worse is that he has walked into an environment where fans are already disgruntled towards their manager, which doesn’t allow Phillips to settle down and take small steps forward.
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