---
title: "Wolves: Kalvin Phillips remains on the club’s radar"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wolves-kalvin-phillips-remains-on-the-clubs-radar/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Liam Togher"
section: "Premier League"
published: "2019-09-10T19:10:54Z"
modified: "2019-09-10T19:10:54Z"
---

# Wolves: Kalvin Phillips remains on the club’s radar

**Wolves will continue to keep tabs on Leeds midfielder Kalvin Phillips this season despite the 23-year-old committing his future to the Championship club.**

[![Premiership Picks](https://cdn.footballleagueworld.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Premiership-Picks-Desktop.png)](https://premierpicks.uk/)

[Football Insider](https://www.footballinsider247.com/wolves-to-keep-tabs-on-phillips-after-offer-knocked-back/) reported that Wolves plan to keep an eye on the midfielder throughout the campaign ahead of a possible approach.

Also, Leeds [announced on their official website](https://www.leedsunited.com/news/team-news/25470/kalvin-phillips-signs-new-contract) yesterday that Phillips has signed a new five-year contract at Elland Road following considerable interest in him from other clubs.

Last month, [The Sun](https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/9697461/wolves-transfer-news-leeds-kalvin-phillips/) reported that Wolves were strongly interested in the player but baulked at his £30m valuation from Leeds.

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/THE-BREAKDOWN.png)

Although Phillips has [played mainly as a central midfielder over the course of his career](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/kalvin-phillips/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/351749), Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa deployed him as a [centre-back](https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/bielsa-highlights-centre-back-options-at-leeds-united-but-would-welcome-one-more-1-9284284) and [deep-lying playmaker](https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/leeds-united-midfielder-phillips-is-lynchpin-of-the-bielsa-revolution-1-9306238) at times last season.

So far this season, six of his eight starts have come from a defensive midfield role, with one game each as a centre-back and central midfielder. \[[via TransferMarkt.co.uk](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/kalvin-phillips/leistungsdaten/spieler/351749)\]

That change of position has perhaps led to a downturn in the 23-year-old’s goal contribution – having scored seven times and provided three assists in 2017/18, he only netted once and set up three goals the following season and has not been involved in any goals so far this term. \[[via TransferMarkt.co.uk](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/kalvin-phillips/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/351749)\]

Phillips is highly adept at breaking up opposition attacks, posting match averages of 4.7 successful tackles, two successful aerial duels and 1.3 interceptions in the early weeks of this season. \[[via WhoScored.com](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/270446/Show/Kalvin-Phillips)\]

In terms of his use of the ball, he has a passing success rate of 86.4% and averages 67.4 passes, 0.7 crosses, one key pass and 0.5 dribbles per game. \[[via WhoScored.com](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/270446/Show/Kalvin-Phillips)\]

Wolves’ defensive midfielders Ruben Neves, Leander Dendoncker and Romain Saiss have [all found the net this season](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/wolverhampton-wanderers/leistungsdaten/verein/543/plus/0?reldata=%262019) and got [nine goals between them in 2018/19](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/wolverhampton-wanderers/leistungsdaten/verein/543/plus/0?reldata=%262018), although their tackling averages for this season are far inferior to Phillips – Neves has won [1.5 tackles per game](https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/161/Show/England-Wolverhampton-Wanderers), with the other two players averaging [one each per game](https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/161/Show/England-Wolverhampton-Wanderers).

The Leeds man has also been much more economical in possession this season than the Wolves trio – Dendoncker is the next best with [74.2%](https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/161/Show/England-Wolverhampton-Wanderers), while Neves and Saiss have accuracy rates of just [70.6%](https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/161/Show/England-Wolverhampton-Wanderers) and [65.6%](https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/161/Show/England-Wolverhampton-Wanderers) respectively.

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Verdict.png)

On the face of it, many of Phillips’ statistics compare quite favourably to the defensive midfielders at Wolves.

However, even for a defensive midfielder, his goal return is quite low, while he is operating at a lower level than Wolves’ players. Also, Leeds’ reported valuation of £30m (as per [The Sun](https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/9697461/wolves-transfer-news-leeds-kalvin-phillips/)) seems steep for someone who has [never featured in the top flight](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/kalvin-phillips/detaillierteleistungsdaten/spieler/351749).

For now, though, Phillips is definitely worth keeping an eye on and, if Leeds fail to achieve promotion this season, the player may then be tempted by a move to a Premier League club like Wolves.

***Wolves fans, do you think Phillips would be an astute addition to the squad or is he overpriced? Have your say in the comments section below!***