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| AFP Yonhap News |
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The possibility of Calvin Phillips returning to Leeds United seems to have increased.
The British team talk reported on the 12th (Korea time) 'Liz confirmed plans to bring Phillips back this summer'
Team Talk is 'Man City are open to the possibility of a move for Phillips, and Pep Guardiola has also approved his move. Phillips and Leeds can now reveal that they have made an oral agreement on their return, and Man City are also aware of this interest. However, it is highly likely that a transfer fee agreement will be needed, and Manchester City will reportedly accept 20 million pounds (about 37 billion won)."
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| AFP Yonhap News |
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Phillips once played a huge role as a key midfielder for Leeds and England. Since his professional debut in Leeds in 2014, he has been on the England stage, occupying a place in Leeds' reinforcements. He led Leeds to the promotion of the English Premier League (EPL) and caught the eye of big clubs with his steady performance on the EPL stage.
The club holding Phillips' hand was Manchester City. Manchester City, which wanted to reinforce its midfield, invested 49 million pounds (about 85 billion won) in recruiting Phillips. But Phillips at Manchester City couldn't find any form in his Leeds days. Phillips was given the opportunity to play in 23 games in the 2022-2023 season, but his performance did not improve. After the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, he failed to manage his weight and was criticized by Pep Guardiola. At the time, fans mocked Phillips and criticized him with photos that made him fatter. Eventually, he was excluded from Manchester City's plans in the 2023-2024 season and joined West Ham on loan.
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| APYonhap News |
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Rental life was also not an opportunity for a rebound. He made 12 league appearances, but only three starts. Originally, he wanted to return to the English national team after playing for West Ham, but he returned to Manchester City last summer after being evaluated as the 'worst recruitment in history' two months after moving to West Ham.
There was no rebound this season either. Phillips, who left for Ipswich on loan, was consistent with a below-expectation performance. He scored one goal in 19 games, and his influence in the midfield was disappointing. Ipswich are also likely to be relegated to 18th place in the league, as they cannot avoid a slump along with Phillips.
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| AFP Yonhap News |
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However, his former team Leeds did not forget Phillips. Leeds, who are struggling for promotion this season, are dreaming of a future with Phillips next season. The problem is the terms of the transfer. In order for Leeds and Phillips to be signed, the transfer will be possible only if Leeds first confirms their promotion to the EPL stage.
England's Transfer News Live predicted that Phillips will be able to return to his former team only after the promotion, saying, `Liz has agreed with Phillips that he will seek to recruit him if he succeeds in promoting the passenger season.' For Leeds, who are currently leading the Championship (second division), maintaining their current performance is expected to be the most important goal for Phillips.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
