Premier League champions Manchester City have struck a deal worth £45m with Leeds United to sign Kalvin Phillips.
City pencilled the England midfielder as one of their prime targets in the summer transfer window and will pay £42m plus £3m as add-ons.
Reportedly, Phillips’s switch to Etihad is to replace Fernandinho whose nine-year reign at the Manchester club comes to an end this June.
Fernandihno’s exit from Manchester City will see Phillips, who was named the best England player in the 2020/21 season provide backup for Rodri in the midfield which Pep Guardiola fancies a one-man defensive style.
The English player sprouted from the Leeds academy to make his debut for the senior side in 2015 where he amassed 13 goals in 233 appearances.
However, Sky Sports reported that for the player to find his way into the Gareth Southgate squad for FIFA World Cup in Qatar, he needs to outperform Jude Bellingham, Jordan Henderson, Conor Gallagher and James Ward-Prowse.
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One characteristic of a defensive midfielder is the aggressive tackles that cut off the opponent’s attacks probably resulting in a referee’s reactions through the issuance of a red card probably.
Remarkably, the 26-year-old defensive midfielder in the entire 49 Premier Leagues games he has featured for the Whites, has never been red-carded.
More so, the midfielder will become the club’s third signing this summer after Julian Alvarez and Erling Haaland joined Pep Guardiola, who is rerouting the squad for another Champions League campaign, at Etihad.
Meanwhile, City rivals’ fans have lashed at Manchester United for their floppiness in the transfer market to bring fresh legs into the club squad.
According to Mirror, the moment City announced that a deal have been reached with Leeds for Phillips, the United fans reacted harshly against the club.
Infuriated by the news, the fans said that a club that won the Premier League with a robust squad have signed three players while United which performed below par are yet to sign any.
“City probably didn’t need to make any signings yet they’ve just signed Haaland and Phillips. United need about 10 players and have signed no one. Standards,” one wrote.
Another fumed: “Your neighbours just won the league and have signed 3 quality players already. Are you not ashamed?”
However, in a different deal, Manchester City sold midfielder Darko Gyabi, who plays in the club’s academy, to Leeds for £5m.
