Out-of-favour Liverpool centre-back Nat Phillips will be put up for sale by the club at the end of the season, according to a latest transfer rumour.
The Lowdown: Phillips out of favour
The 25-year-old has found himself almost completely out of favour at Anfield this season, with Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez all ahead of him in the pecking order.
In fact, Phillips has only managed one start in the Premier League throughout the campaign, which came against Crystal Palace all the way back in August.
The Englishman is currently contracted to Liverpool until the summer of 2025, although it is difficult to see him becoming even close to being a key part of Jurgen Klopp's plans any time soon.
The Reds could instead decide to cash in on the defender, with a fresh update suggesting that will be the case.
The Latest: Defender up for sale
According to Football Insider, Liverpool have decided to put Phillips 'up for sale this summer', having originally been 'close to leaving' during the January transfer window.
He only stayed on because of the Reds' mounting injury problems at the back but he now looks almost certain to depart at the end of the season instead.
With Van Dijk and Konate now back fit, Phillips has been 'told again that he is free to find a new club'.
The Verdict: Right time to move on
It would be a big surprise if the centre-back was still a Liverpool player at the beginning of this season, with this latest update arguably the biggest sign yet that he will depart.
In terms of his own growth as a footballer, Phillips needs to find a new challenge - a club where he is considered a key player who is part of the starting lineup week in, week out.
He is good enough to be representing either a lower-ranked Premier League side or a top-end Championship outfit, having done such a good job for Liverpool in 2020/21, being hailed as 'absolutely insane' by Klopp for the impact he made during another injury-hit period.
Phillips should depart Anfield as a popular figure, having always given his all and got the best out of his arguably limited ability - he had a superb average of 5.6 aerial duel wins per game in the league in 2020/21 - but it is time for him to try something new and come in as a key man elsewhere.