Kalvin Phillips and Leeds United have opened talks about a new contract for the midfielder amid growing interest from elsewhere.
The Lowdown: Key man for club and country
Phillips, 25, has been at Leeds for all of his career and has made over 200 appearances for the club since making his debut in a 4-3 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers back in April 2015.
After being instrumental in United’s promotion to the Premier League in 2019/20, Phillips’ impressive performances in the top flight earned him a place in Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2020 squad, finishing runners-up to Italy.
With rumours intensifying of him potentially moving to a number of Premier League rivals, Phillips’ stay at Elland Road could now be extended.
The Latest: Blockbuster dead
In a report from Football Insider, a Leeds source has claimed the club have now opened talks with their midfielder over a blockbuster contract amid growing interest from top-six clubs.
The source has said that the talks are at an early stage but the club are keen to reward the £36million-rated player for his progress and get it wrapped up before the end of the year.
Phillips would receive a major pay hike, and it is claimed that Andrea Radrizzani has personally made securing the deal a top priority.
The Verdict: Worth every penny
Phillips proved many people wrong during the European Championships and he worked well with Declan Rice in the middle of the park to keep Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson and Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham out of the XI.
Capable of playing as a number six or number eight, Phillips completed 86% of his passes over the summer and won 2.3 ground duels per game.Â
His importance to this Leeds squad has been paramount in the last 24 months and tying him down for a longer period of time to help Leeds go further and into European football is a testament to the vision of the club.
Even if he does move on eventually, a new contract would ensure the Whites get the best possible deal.
In other news, struggling £27million signing has impressed Marcelo Bielsa in training. Find out more here.
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