Leeds United need to sign a midfielder who is arguably even 'better' than Kalvin Phillips this summer, according to former Whites goalkeeper Paddy Kenny.
The Lowdown: Too much reliance on Phillips
Marcelo Bielsa's side have excelled in their first season back in the Premier League, with Phillips undoubtedly one of Leeds' star men.
The 25-year-old has been an influential performer in the middle of the park, starting 25 matches and giving himself an excellent chance of making England's Euro 2020 squad in the coming weeks.
Phillips is arguably relied upon too much, however, with his absence in last Saturday's 2-0 defeat away to Brighton proving costly.
The Latest: Kenny calls for top-class midfield signing
Speaking to Football Insider, Kenny believes Bielsa should not only look at bringing in someone who could be an effective backup in midfield, and possibly even a superior player to Phillips:
"He’s now in the England squad and proving what an unbelievable talent he is, and he’s still young. He’s a very important player for Leeds.
"He came through at Leeds when I was there. You could see he had something about him.
"Maybe they need to get someone in who is as good if not better than Phillips to fill in if they do need to cover for him."
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The Verdict
In truth, Leeds will do well to sign a better player than Phillips this summer, considering what a top-quality performer he has become, whether it be his use of the ball - 1.3 key passes per game in the league this season - energy or leadership.
Acquiring the services of a player who can dovetail with the Englishman is key, however, fitting seamlessly into the team when he's not there.
Leeds have lost seven of the nine games Phillips hasn't featured in this season, which says all you need to know about how invaluable he is, and how insufficient the backup quality is.
Competition for places can only be healthy moving forward, ensuring individuals don't rest on their laurels - even someone of Phillips' importance.
In other news, one pundit has made a key claim over Marcelo Bielsa's future at Leeds. Read more here.