Clarke and Phillips could leave Leeds United if they fail to escape the Championship but is Premier League outfit Bournemouth the perfect destination?
Stephen Warnock believes that Bournemouth would be the ideal destination for Leeds United duo Kalvin Phillips and Jack Clarke should they fall short of achieving promotion to the Premier League this summer, speaking to Football League World.
Defeats to Wigan and Brentford over the Easter weekend means The Whites are set to miss out on a place in the Championship top two with the play-offs beckoning for Marcelo Bielsa’s side.
If Leeds are forced to endure another season in the second tier, they could face a challenge holding onto both Phillips and Clarke with the young duo catching the eye of plenty of top-flight clubs of late.
And Warnock, a former Elland Road captain, believes Eddie Howe’s ability to improve homegrown talents such as David Brooks and Callum Wilson means Bournemouth stand out as the ideal destination for two of Leeds’ most exciting starlets.
“I think when you look at Eddie Howe and how he develops players, then it’s one of them where you’re still going to be coached as a player. Often, you can go to a team where managers just manage their team and don’t develop you any more,” said the former England international.
“Because they are such young players, they need to progress and keep on learning, and Eddie Howe certainly has had that pedigree.”
The Sun (14 April, page 61) believes Leeds would want £20 million for gifted midfielder Phillips, who is a target for Southampton. Teenage winger Clarke, meanwhile, was linked with a £12 million move to Bournemouth in January via The Mail.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
