Chris Sutton has claimed that if he was a manager, then he would take West Ham United’s Declan Rice over Leeds United’s Kalvin Phillips in the transfer market, as he told BBC Radio 5 Live Sport.
The former striker was talking about Phillips’ future at Leeds, with Manchester City keen to add the England international to their ranks this summer.
During these past few seasons, both Rice and Phillips have taken their game to the next level, especially at Euro 2020 when they were England’s standout performers.
Both the Leeds and West Ham faithful are hoping that they stay put beyond this summer, the Hammers are in Europe, but the Whites aren’t, which could become an issue.
Nonetheless, this is what Sutton had to say about Rice and Phillips and how ‘most people across the country’ would agree that the West Ham player is ahead of his fellow countryman.
“Do you think Phillips will go,” asked Sutton? “Rob (Robbie Savage), you are making faces. Do you not think that’s going to happen? I haven’t seen you screw your face up like that. You are basically saying Kalvin Phillips isn’t good enough for Manchester City?!
On who he would take in the transfer market: “I would take Rice. I think Rice is ahead of Phillips, at this moment in time. I think most people across the country would say that as well.”
PHILLIPS SHOULD STAY AT LEEDS
This is a big summer for Phillips because the Premier League champions are knocking for his talents and it’s pretty hard to turn down someone like Pep Guardiola.
Some would point towards a certain Jack Grealish and how he has struggled since leaving his own boyhood club for the flashy lights of the Etihad.
But, for Grealish, all of that could turn on his head next season and he could become a crucial member of Man City’s XI.
It could also be argued that it would be more difficult for Phillips to break into Man City’s XI because would Guardiola play both Phillips and Rodri in the same team? Probably not.
So, trying to push ahead of Rodri is a much tougher task than the several positions Guardiola could use someone like Grealish.
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