Craig Burley says Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United should sign Kalvin Phillips if Mateo Kovacic joins Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City from Chelsea.
The 2023 summer transfer window is heating up by the day, like the English weather of late, and certain huge moves could be about to take place, including Manchester City signing Mateo Kovacic, 29, from Chelsea.
If that happens, then for Burley, it ‘spells the end’ for Kalvin Phillips at the Etihad and he tipped a possible transfer to Newcastle United, as he told ESPN.
Over the course of the season, Phillips, who secured a £42 million transfer to the champions of England last summer from Leeds United (Sky Sports), has played only 290 minutes of Premier League football.
If Kovacic joins that Treble-winning train, then it really puts the England international on the back foot and his game time, which is already low, will probably decrease even further next season.
That’s why former Scotland international Burley thinks it’s best that Phillips joins Newcastle, before Kovacic can enter the building.
“He is the one I thought of when I saw the potential Kovacic signing, said Burley. “I thought that’s a pathway for Kalvin Phillips to be moved on to another club.
“I think Kalvin Phillips can go somewhere else, like a Newcastle. Just throwing that out there. Another good Premier League club. It’s not quite at the level of Manchester City, but go do a good job.
“I think Guardiola has had a look at him. ‘I thought you were a good player’ – I think Kalvin Phillips’ minutes on the field, unfortunately for him, would suggest that I am right on this front.
“I think, with this Kovacic signing, he could do all those jobs. He could sit in front of the back four. Go in the forward positions. I am not sure what’s happening with Gundogan and others, but this does spell the end, in my opinion, for somebody like Kalvin Phillips at Man City, not in terms of his career. He will go and play somewhere else.”
Phillips has a big call to make
Let’s be honest, Phillips didn’t do much during this quite remarkable season for Man City and now he has a few big calls to make.
He either sticks it out at the Etihad and hopes his game times increase next season, but with it, risks his chance of not being part of England’s Euro 2024 squad next summer.
Or, the £150k-a-week star (Spotrac) takes up offers like Newcastle, who will be in the Champions League next season, and takes his career to the next level.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
