“Everyone is gone on Christmas Holiday, and that’s why I feel this is the right time to come out to the media to tell the world why Pep Guardiola keeps on benching me”- Manchester City FLOP Kelvin Phillips speaks out about why he lost his starting spot to Ake and Akanji
Kalvin Phillips has informed Manchester City that he is willing to move in January, with Newcastle and Juventus keen in taking the England midfielder on loan until the end of the season.
Pep Guardiola has made it obvious that Phillips is not in his plans after granting him four Premier League games this season, all as a substitute. The 28-year-old is thought to have acknowledged that he must leave City in order to gain a place in England’s Euro 2024 squad, having failed to make a first-team breakthrough under Guardiola since his £42 million arrival from Leeds in the summer of 2022.
Phillips’ representatives are said to have conducted negotiations with City in recent days in an attempt to find him a new club, and the triple champions are expected to sanction a loan despite City’s preference to find a purchase if possible. It remains to be seen whether any agreement includes a clause that allows him to make the transfer permanent, but he appears to have no future at the Etihad under Guardiola.
Newcastle have had a long-standing interest in Phillips and are looking to bolster their midfield after Sandro Tonali was banned for ten months in October for violating betting rules. Eddie Howe’s team appears to be the frontrunners, though structuring a deal within their stretched financial fair play budget will be difficult. Several other Premier League clubs are said to be interested, and Juventus have been in contact with Phillips’ representation to discuss a short-term deal, although it is unknown whether he would be willing to transfer abroad at this juncture of his career.
Another potential stumbling block might be his weekly compensation of £130,000, with City likely demanding that the majority, if not all, of it be covered.
Gareth Southgate stated in November that he was hopeful Phillips could find a solution, despite his lack of playing time for his club. “I’m sure he, Pep, and Txiki [Begiristain] will discuss the best way forward,” England manager Gareth Southgate said. “We know the calibre of his play because he was our player of the year a few years ago.” We’d like him to get into a better rhythm, but there aren’t many players at his level who can play in his position.”
Another England international, Reece James, is set to have surgery on a hamstring injury that will keep the Chelsea captain out for up to four months.
The right-back has had assessments on the issue, and it is thought that part of the reason for the delay in making a definitive decision on the next step was to allow the Stamford Bridge club to locate the best possible surgeon to carry out the treatment. James will go to Finland for the treatment after limping off during Chelsea’s defeat at Everton earlier this month.
Ousmane Demélé of Paris Saint-Germain has had hamstring surgery twice in Finland, where the care is regarded as some of the best in the world.
James has had seven hamstring issues in the last three years and has avoided surgery in the past. He was hurt in August and did not return until October. Before facing Everton, he appeared to be lacking in sharpness.
