Report: Injury could stop 23-year-old leaving Liverpool before window shuts

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An ill-timed injury means Liverpool defender Nat Phillips is likely to miss out on a loan move away from Anfield, Goal reports of the Nottingham Forest, Middlesbrough and Swansea City target.

The 2019/20 season was one full of positives for the Bolton-born 23-year-old.

Not only did he play a major role as a team full of kids and fringe players saw off Merseyside rivals Everton in the FA Cup third round in January, Phillips also helped one of the biggest clubs in German football, Stuttgart, seal promotion back to the Bundesliga during a superb loan spell in mainland Europe.

And with a trio of Championship clubs looking to sign him on another short-term deal, Phillips would have been hoping to kick on and continue making a name for himself away from Merseyside (Goal).

But it seems his body doesn’t agree.

Goal reports fitness problems mean Phillips is likely to be stuck at Anfield until the new year.

Then again, there’s an extended transfer window that allows Premier League clubs to strike deals with Championship teams until 16 October. It remains to be seen whether Phillips can recover in time to enter talks with Middlesbrough or Swansea, for example.

Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, could certainly do with a new defender, losing all three of their Championship games so far as the pressure mounts on coach Sabri Lamouchi.

“If I go out on loan then I’m able to go out and get more games and more first-team experience and start establishing myself in my career,” Phillips told Liverpool’s website in the summer.

“I’m feeling quite happy and comfortable going into the season ahead.”

Talk about best-laid plans going awry.