Liverpool transfer news: Phillips stuck in limbo after Konate injury blow

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Liverpool are now likely to block Nat Phillips from securing a transfer away from Anfield on deadline day. Jurgen Klopp is set to keep the defender due to an injury to Ibrahima Konate.

That is according to The Athletic (31/01, 12:01), which reports Konate is now set to miss up to three weeks with a hamstring injury. The Frenchman joins Virgil van Dijk on the sidelines and leaves Phillips as the only available cover for Joel Matip and Joe Gomez in the interim.

Phillips has been looking to find a transfer away from Liverpool in the January window with Klopp seldom favouring him. He has also attracted interest from Galatasaray and a host of Bundesliga teams. But the Reds do not believe they can now afford to lose him this month.

It is also the second time this season that an injury to a Liverpool defender has now denied Phillips a transfer away. He had hoped to join Benfica on loan for the campaign back in the summer. But Klopp blocked the 25-year-old leaving after Matip had suffered a groin injury.

History has now repeated itself, it seems, with The Telegraph (31/01, 11:37) also reporting that Konate’s injury will likely see Liverpool block any transfer approaches for Phillips. The Bolton-born enforcer’s sale was also likely to be the only deadline day activity at Anfield.

Liverpool leave Phillips stuck in limbo over a transfer after Konate’s injury

Liverpool, then, will leave Phillips stuck in limbo unable to clinch the transfer that he longs for. Klopp has only used the 6 ft 2 brute he once called ‘immense’ and ‘absolutely insane’ in five fixtures this term. He has further only fielded him twice during Premier League matches.

Klopp has given Phillips 142 of his 232 minutes of action over two EFL Cups ties so far this season. While his 66 minutes of Premier League action were split between 63 minutes and three minutes. He played in their second and 14th fixtures of the campaign from 19 so far.

Konate, who Liverpool signed from RB Leipzig in May 2021 through a £36m release clause, has only started four of his five Premier League appearances. The 23-year-old’s season did not begin before October due to a knee injury. He only returned consistently from January.