Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips won't be available until March because of a hamstring injury, journalist Phil Hay has confirmed.
The Lowdown: Phillips is a massive loss
The 26-year-old is arguably the first name on Marcelo Bielsa's team sheet when everyone is fit, but unfortunately that isn't the case at the moment. Phillips hasn't featured for Leeds since the 2-2 draw at home to Brentford at the beginning of December, with a hamstring issue ruling him out for a sustained period.
An update has now been provided regarding the England international, who was hailed as a 'beast' by Nigel de Jong during Euro 2020.
[freshpress-quiz id=“383507"]
The Latest: Phillips out until March
Taking to Twitter on Friday, Hay confirmed Bielsa's update claiming that Phillips won't be available until March, meaning he could miss the Whites' next eight matches.
The midfielder will join defender and captain Liam Cooper on the sidelines, having played at centre-back three times this season in order to deal with a defensive shortage.
[web_stories_embed url="https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-29/" title="Latest Leeds United news!" poster="" width="360" height="600" align="none"]
The Verdict: January signing needed
Phillips is an enormous loss, with his energy and quality in the middle of the park making him the hub of the entire Leeds team, averaging two tackles and 2.3 clearances per game in the Premier League this season.
It highlights the need for a new central midfielder to join during the January transfer window in order to fill the sizeable void left by the 26-year-old.
Someone like Cagliari midfielder and long-time Whites target Nahitan Nandez looks like the perfect candidate, possessing a wealth of experience which includes 49 caps for Uruguay, as well as an average of 2.4 aerial duels and two tackles won per match in Serie A this season.
Even if Leeds miss out on him, though, any new midfielder who could perform to a similar standard would be welcome, given the severe body blow regarding Phillips.
In other news, Hay has provided a more positive Leeds injury update. Read more here.