Leeds United's hopes of keeping hold of midfielder Kalvin Phillips, and the identity of his next club if he does move on, will hinge on whether or not they avoid relegation, according to journalist Phil Hay.
The Lowdown: Phillips' future up in the air
The 26-year-old has suffered a frustrating season for the Whites, not playing a single minute since December because of a serious hamstring injury.
Talk has intensified over Phillips' future in recent months, with a host of clubs linked with signing him amid Leeds' Premier League relegation battle. Aston Villa and West Ham have been two particularly prominent suitors of late.
Hay has now addressed where the England midfielder's future is likely to lie, depending on what happens at Elland Road over the next two months.
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The Latest: Hay on Kalvin Phillips
Writing in a Monday morning mailbag for The Athletic, the journalist admitted with regards to Phillips' future that everything could depend on whether or not Leeds go down in May. He stated:
"If Leeds go down, all bets would be off. Players such as Phillips would need to find themselves Premier League clubs and would have to be open to whatever offers were on the table.
"But if Leeds stay up, and they’ve given themselves a huge chance of that by winning the last two games, I’d find it odd to see him go to Villa or West Ham United — two of the clubs linked with him recently.
"Phillips turns 27 this year and because of his age, doesn’t have an endless line of future big moves in him. Given his development and his progress at international level with England, the target for him, if he was to leave, would surely be relatively-secure Champions League football most seasons. Anything less would feel like him selling himself short. But we all know Villa have been on his case for a while."
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The Verdict: Perfect incentive to stay up
If ever Jesse Marsch and his players needed an incentive to stay up, it is this, with Phillips arguably the most important player in the current Leeds squad.
He has matured into a truly formidable midfielder - one who is England's reigning Player of the Year - dominating midfield battles and averaging 2.3 tackles per game in the league this season.
Losing Phillips would be an almighty blow but it would be impossible to begrudge him a move if Leeds are back playing in the Championship, with the boyhood Whites fan already doing a stint in that division when he could have played at a higher level.
In other news, Leeds could make a loan signing this summer. Find out who the player in question is here.