Don Hutchison has claimed that the likes of Liverpool will come in for Leeds United’s Kalvin Phillips, as he told ESPN.
The former Liverpool midfielder stated that he watched Phillips live at Fulham last week and the Leeds player ‘blew me away’.
Leeds progressed through to the next round of the League Cup that evening, after a goalless draw during normal time saw the Yorkshire outfit then win on penalties.
Given the shortage of players at the back, Marcelo Bielsa played Phillips as a centre-back, which he has done many times before.
And Hutchison just couldn’t believe what he was watching with Phillips, both his actions with and without the ball.
“I was at Fulham against Leeds last week,” said Hutchison. “And Kalvin Phillips absolutely blew me away.
“I watched him live. He played as a centre-back and then whenever Leeds had the ball, he stepped into midfield and played as a midfield player.
“His positional sense was amazing. His passing is outrageous. He has the no-look pass. Balls into the front men. He’s got a two iron and three iron zinger out to the widemen. He has every pass in the locker.
“Everything about him told me that he’s not going to be at Leeds for much longer. There is going to be Liverpool and Man United, all the big clubs are going to want him in the summer.”
Leeds fans won’t like to hear it, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see those clubs in Europe, possibly the Champions League, knocking the door in order to lure Phillips’ talents towards their direction.
But will the ‘Yorkshire Pirlo’ ignore all talk and try to help his boyhood club reach Europe?
In what is their second season back with the elite, it’s not been the best of starts for Leeds, after their ninth place finish last time out.
But that doesn’t stop the club’s long-term goal, which is to get back into Europe and challenge at the top.
And if they are to do that then they are going to need their midfield engine staying put and donning their colours.
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