Photo: Klopp speaks to £15m Liverpool player in training, he could be off

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It’ll be very interesting to see what happens with Nathaniel Phillips at Liverpool over the next couple of weeks.

The big defender was a rock for Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp during the second half of last season – and he had to be due to an unprecedented injury crisis of centre-back options.

But with Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez fit again, and the Reds having spent £36 million on Ibrahima Konate, there’s major doubts over whether Phillips will stay at the club.

According to The Athletic, Newcastle United are in contact with the Anfield club about bringing Phillips – who didn’t even make the squad against Norwich City this past weekend – to St James’s Park before the transfer window closes.

We know that the big man himself – who is worth £15 million to the Merseysiders – is fit because he was present in training on Tuesday, where he was spotted having a conversation with Klopp.

Here’s some photographs from Liverpool’s latest session at the Axa Training Centre:

As good as gone?

Phillips didn’t only fail to make the bench against the Canaries due to Konate and Gomez already being there.

It was also probably strategic on Liverpool’s part because if he gets injured, it ruins an eight-figure payday for the club.

His omission at Norwich highlighted the fact that Klopp doesn’t need him anymore, but also that he doesn’t want Phillips to pick up an injury.