Richards believes the Leeds United midfielder could go on to play for a club like Manchester City, Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur.
Micah Richards thinks Kalvin Phillips can gatecrash England’s Euro 2020 side – provided the Leeds United midfielder joins ‘a Manchester City, Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur’ in the January transfer window.
Phillips’ position, just in front of the Leeds back four, is one for which the England manager, Gareth Southgate, has yet to find a concrete solution.
Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson, Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Winks and Everton’s former Manchester City midfielder, Fabian Delph, are among those who were deployed there en route to the finals, alongside Declan Rice of West Ham United.
But the uncertainty over the role has led to suggestions of Phillips being handed a call-up.
And asked by BBC Radio 5 Live if he sees his fellow Leeds native as an option there, Richards said: “It all depends on what team he goes to (in January). If he goes into a struggling side, probably not. If he goes into a Man City or Liverpool…”
The former Manchester City and England defender was at that point interrupted by his 5 Live colleague, Chris Sutton, who declared: “He’s not going to get into the Man City team or the Liverpool team.
“He’s not going to get into the Tottenham team.”
But Richards replied: “Have you watched him play? He’s a Leeds lad. He’s very, very good actually. Top. If he goes into a team which has a run for six months – potentially, yeah.”
Leeds fans – could Phillips leave for Manchester City, Liverpool, Tottenham or another club in January?
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