Liverpool have registered their interest in signing Kalvin Phillips from Leeds United in the January transfer window but face competition from Manchester United, per the Daily Star.
Jurgen Klopp is keen to bolster his midfield options in the mid-season market after a spate of injuries at Anfield. The German has been without Thiago Alcantara, Harvey Elliot, Naby Keita, Fabinho, James Milner and Curtis Jones at times already.
The Reds also lost Georginio Wijnaldum in the summer after the Dutchman joined Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer. But Klopp felt confident in his options to not need to replace the 30-year-old after his contract expired in June.
Klopp now wants to address Liverpool’s midfield in the January sales and will plot a transfer for Leeds star Phillips. The 25-year-old has continually increased his stock since the Whites secured a Premier League berth last year, and played a key role for England at Euro 2020.
The Elland Road outfit are speaking with Phillips over extending his contract in the hope of warding off any interest. Manchester United also admire the Leeds product, who has three-years remaining on the £20k-a-week deal he signed back in 2019.
Manchester United are intent on adding Phillips to the Old Trafford ranks and have made a £60m deal a priority. But they will not target the Leeds-born anchor until next summer, to potentially leave a door open for Liverpool’s swoop.
Phillips also has reservations over joining Manchester United, so would favour a transfer to Liverpool if he leaves Leeds. He is concerned about what impact leaving Elland Road for Old Trafford would have on his family, who live in the city, given the two club’s rivalry.
Should Liverpool plot a transfer for Leeds star Phillips?
Phillips’ reservations over a transfer to Manchester United from Leeds would undoubtedly aid Liverpool should Klopp target the England midfielder. Adding a commanding presence to the Anfield engine room, who excellently protects the defence and can push forward.
Gareth Southgate has been full of praise for what the 17-cap star offers the Three Lions. He noted, via Leeds Live: “He’s been excellent. The way he has taken to international football, it hasn’t surprised us because [of] what we’d seen with Leeds, even in the Championship, we felt could convert into our team. We felt he could play an important role with us.
“To play in the enormity of the matches he did in the summer, and play as well as he did is a massive credit to him. He’s a very, very good player and he’s been a really important part of this. We’re 16 games unbeaten [in normal time] now, and he’s been a huge part of that.”
Klopp also seems to know what Phillips is capable of after intentionally targeting him when Liverpool hosted Leeds last month. He told the Reds’ official website: “Our idea was to cut out Phillips, which is important; to cut out the passes they usually want to play, how they want to find him in the centre. That took a little bit of their game plan away or whatever.”
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