‘I’ll be honest’: Liverpool told they should have signed 26-year-old now at Manchester City

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Steve Nicol has claimed that Liverpool should have signed Kalvin Phillips prior to him swapping Leeds United FC colours for Manchester City’s, as he told ESPN.

Despite Nicol being in agreement that the Reds have numbers in the middle of the park, he made it clear that he would have liked a midfield signing this summer.

Now, that could still happen because six weeks still remain until the summer transfer window slams shut, but the Reds aren’t the type of team to leave their business right until the end.

Either way, rather than having Phillips on their books next season, Jurgen Klopp and Co. will be facing off against the Englishman, after he left his boyhood club.

When Nicol was asked about what else he would like Liverpool to do in the transfer market, he dropped Phillips’ name into the hat.

“In the middle of the park, again they have numbers,” said Nicol. “Would I have liked to have seen a signing? Yes.

“I will be honest, I would have liked to have seen Kalvin Phillips coming to Liverpool. But again, if you look at the numbers, there are plenty of bodies and plenty of quality.

“Look, Liverpool are looking pretty good.”

LIVERPOOL DON’T SPLASH THE CASH LIKE MANCHESTER CITY

In truth, Phillips has been brought in by the Premier League champions to effectively play second fiddle to Rodri, who signed a new contract at the Etihad on Tuesday.

Pep Guardiola likes to play with a single pivot, so despite Phillips being signed up for £43 million, he’s not going to change that tactic anytime soon.

But the Phillips signing does just prove the crazy money Manchester City are paying for players just to be back-up options at the club.

Nathan Ake was purchased for well over £40 million, yet he has never been first-choice, whilst Jack Grealish made a £100 million transfer last summer, just to warm the bench.

Unless something drastic happens, Phillips will probably do the same, and whilst it’s a tactic that works for Manchester City, it’s something those on Merseyside simply don’t do.