Aston Villa are reportedly willing to pay Leeds United a club-record £60m for Kalvin Phillips, with Steven Gerrard’s side the frontrunners for England international ahead of this summer.
According to the Times, the Birmingham-based club have identified the Elland Road superstar as a key target for the upcoming transfer window, with Villa eager to improve their squad and push to break into the European spots for next season.
As per the report, Villa are thought to be ahead of the likes of Newcastle United and West Ham for Phillips, who is looking increasingly likely to leave his boyhood club, Leeds, this summer despite a recent upturn in results under Jesse Marsch.
The American manager has guided Leeds to dramatic wins in their last two Premier League matches, and whilst safety now looks likely, Phillips could well leave Elland Road for a new venture in football, with Villa willing to go big on the midfielder.
A £60m transfer would be both a club-record signing for Villa as well as a club-record sale for Leeds, with Rio Ferdinand’s move to Manchester United back in 2002 still the most expensive Elland Road departure as per Transfermarkt.
Indeed, Phillips leaving Leeds would be a seismic transfer for the Yorkshire side, with the midfielder one of the club’s most important players and a symbol for the supporters for their rise to the Premier League. Yet a mammoth offer from Villa could be too good to turn down.
Leeds should accept £60m Aston Villa offer for Phillips
£60m is a huge sum of money for any Premier League club outside the top-six, and for Leeds, this fee could be used to help Marsch improve crucial areas of the squad if Villa are ready to stick to their word on Phillips.
Whilst what Phillips stands for off the pitch is invaluable, there’s no denying that a £60m transfer will be huge for Leeds if they are to get back on track and reclaim their title as one of the best clubs in England, even if it means selling a star player to a rival in Villa.
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