Marcelo Bielsa has claimed that Kalvin Phillips won't remain a Leeds United player for the rest of his career, suggesting he will look for a fresh challenge.
The Lowdown: Phillips in demand
Phillips has arguably become one of the best players in the country in the last 12 months, evidenced by his crowning as England's best player for the calendar year.
The midfielder's performances have unsurprisingly seen him linked with some huge clubs, with bitter rivals Manchester United thought to be taking a keen interest in him.
[freshpress-quiz id=“375277"]
The Latest: Bielsa makes key claim
Phillips is currently contracted to Leeds until the summer of 2024, but it remains to be seen if he will sign a new deal, or if he will even stay at Elland Road until that date.
Speaking in his pre-Watford press conference on Thursday [via journalist Phil Hay on Twitter], Bielsa delivered an eight-word answer that could worry Whites fans:
"One day he will stop playing for Leeds."
The manager also seemed to imply a silver lining for the Elland Road faithful however by hinting that Phillips will not join their arch-rivals at Old Trafford, saying the 'Yorkshire Pirlo' will 'only leave if he sees the link to the place he was born remains intact'.
[web_stories_embed url="https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-18/" title="Latest Leeds United news!" poster="" width="360" height="600" align="none"]
The Verdict: Tough to keep hold of him
In truth, it is difficult to see Phillips staying at Leeds forever, unless they quickly become one of the leading teams in England, playing Champions League football regularly.
The 25-year-old may feel he deserves to be playing at a higher level, having recently been named England's Player of the Year - if he can shine in the knockout stages of the Euros, then he can surely thrive in the elite club competitions as well.
It remains to be seen if Phillips' head will be turned next summer or beyond that, but it would be a surprise if he didn't move on eventually.
In other news, one Leeds United player should return for the meeting with Watford. Read more here.