Former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan has praised Kalvin Phillips' decision to have surgery, also hinting at him staying put beyond the summer.

The Lowdown: Phillips undergoes surgery

The Whites have suffered yet another injury blow with the news that the England midfielder is going to be missing for a significant chunk of action.

The 25-year-old has suffered a hamstring injury and is likely to miss around two months of football, having undergone successful surgery.

Leeds will have to battle on without their talisman during a hectic period in the season but he should be back for the business end of the campaign.

[freshpress-quiz id=“375277"]

The Latest: Whelan finds positives

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan claims that it is a wise decision to have surgery immediately, rather than risk Phillips not being at his best for a long time. He said:

"It’s a really sensible move. We know how integral and important Kalvin is, and his value to this team will have demanded the surgery to take place in order to sort it out properly.

"No one wants to be without their talisman, but Leeds United will also realise that having him long-term is better than playing with a Kalvin Phillips that might be in and out of the team with the same problem."

Furthermore, Whelan hinted at the Leeds hero staying at the club for a further 12 months at least, seemingly ruling out the idea of a summer exit amid rumours of other Premier League sides eyeing a swoop for him. The 46-year-old stated:

"It’s vitally important that he gets the treatment he needs. If that means we have to go without Kalvin for two months, but then we get him for the next 12 – then brilliant."

[web_stories_embed url="https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-27/" title="Latest Leeds United news!" poster="" width="360" height="600" align="none"]

The Verdict: Better in the long run

Whelan is right- losing Phillips midway through the season is a big blow, but the decision to have surgery immediately is the right one, taking the hit now rather than letting it going on for several more months.

This way, the England international should return in good shape in February or March, rather than playing with an injury for the entirety of the campaign.

Regardless of where Phillips is playing his football in the future, it is important that he isn't hampered in the long-term because of delaying surgery and making the situation worse.

In other news, one Leeds player has been linked with a summer exit. Find out who it is here.