---
title: "Newcastle: Magpies consider Nat Phillips move"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/newcastle-consider-nat-phillips-transfer/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "David Comerford"
section: "Newcastle United"
published: "2022-01-25T11:05:32Z"
modified: "2022-01-25T11:05:32Z"
---

# Newcastle: Magpies consider Nat Phillips move

**Newcastle could make a move for Liverpool’s Nat Phillips in the remaining days of the transfer window, according to [The Athletic](https://theathletic.com/3083878/2022/01/23/newcastle-hoping-leeds-win-can-boost-both-their-promotion-bid-and-their-recruitment-drive/)‘s Chris Waugh.**

### The lowdown

Newcastle are hopeful of signing a centre-back in a bid to address their woeful defensive record – they have the poorest expected goals against ([xGA](https://understat.com/league/EPL)) tally in the entire Premier League.

[open.spotify.com (embedded)](https://open.spotify.com/embed/show/7EdL7wB316ujhQ4cJ0wFAY?utm_source=generator&theme=0)

Their [top target](https://theathletic.com/3083878/2022/01/23/newcastle-hoping-leeds-win-can-boost-both-their-promotion-bid-and-their-recruitment-drive/) is Sevilla’s Diego Carlos, and while he would like to join the Magpies, negotiations with Sevilla are proving difficult.

Phillips was [heavily involved](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/nathaniel-phillips/leistungsdaten/spieler/371814/plus/0?saison=2020) at Liverpool last season, helping the Reds to secure a top-four finish [in the absences](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55897341) of Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez. However, with that trio back fit and Ibrahima Konate signed during the summer, the 24-year-old centre-back has only made [four appearances](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/nathaniel-phillips/leistungsdaten/spieler/371814) this season.

\[freshpress-quiz id=”383619″\]

### The latest

Waugh wrote for [The Athletic](https://theathletic.com/3083878/2022/01/23/newcastle-hoping-leeds-win-can-boost-both-their-promotion-bid-and-their-recruitment-drive/) that Newcastle are beginning to pursue ‘back-up options’ in case they can’t strike a deal for Carlos.

They are ‘debating’ whether to bring in ‘domestic defenders’, and Phillips is one of the England-based options named.

### The verdict

When you see that Phillips ranks in the 99th percentile among positional peers for clearances and successful aerial duels, you might assume that he’s an ‘old-fashioned’ centre-back (via [FBRef](https://fbref.com/en/players/515ebe8d/Nathaniel-Phillips)). Indeed, that’s how one former team-mate in [Andy Lonergan](https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/untold-liverpool-story-jurgen-klopp-20600185) described him, adding that “he’d head a brick wall if he could”.

While Newcastle fans may love that battling spirit, it might be something of a mischaracterisation. Phillips is also reasonably comfortably on the ball, slotting into the [85th percentile](https://fbref.com/en/players/515ebe8d/Nathaniel-Phillips) for progressive passes.

Liverpool are said to value Phillips at [£15m](https://theathletic.com/3088651/2022/01/25/january-transfers-which-signings-every-premier-league-club-is-chasing-in-the-last-week-of-the-window/?source=twitteruk), so this deal could be a lot simpler than their pursuit of Carlos.

**In other news, [this one-time superstar could land at St James’ Park](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/newcastle-united-news/newcastle-dele-alli-transfer-links-lee-ryder/)**