The young Everton striker has been on trial at Sheffield United.
Everton’s Kieran Phillips was the notable omission from Sheffield United’s Under-23 squad on Friday.
The Blades’ development side are in action against Leeds United three days after losing 1-0 to another of their local rivals, Sheffield Wednesday.
Phillips played the full game against Wednesday – his latest appearance on trial with Sheffield United from Everton.
He scored in his previous outing against Bolton Wanderers, and was perhaps unlucky not to add to his tally after a trio of half-chances came his way on Tuesday.
But there was no sign of the 19-year-old, whom The Liverpool Echo reports Everton are expecting to leave in January, at Leeds’ Thorp Arch training ground.
What that means for Phillips’ chances of securing a deal at Sheffield United remains to be seen.
It could be that the Blades have ended their interest in the player.
But it is equally possible that Phillips, who looked as though he may have suffered a knock in the closing stages against Wednesday, is simply sitting out this fixture while he recovers.
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