As the dust settles on one of the Premier League’s busiest transfer windows, one deal that never went ahead was Kalvin Phillips’ Manchester City exit.
This was not a case of a deal falling through or collapsing at the last minute, but rather a deal that never existed in the first place.
Phillips has struggled since his high-profile £42m transfer from Leeds, suffering untimely injuries and making just 31 appearances. He has not featured competitively for City since 2023, going out on loan to West Ham and Ipswich in the last two seasons.
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Pep Guardiola has made it clear that he does not see a place for Phillips in his midfield, and has given the midfielder’s squad number away this summer to new signing Tijjani Reijnders. Here, TBR Football look at what has gone so badly wrong.
Pep Guardiola said he was ‘delighted’ to sign Kalvin Phillips, but later had to apologise to the Manchester City midfielder
Man City Sporting Director Txiki Begiristain hailed Kalvin Phillips as a ‘formidable talent’, while Pep Guardiola hailed Phillips’ time at Leeds under Marcelo Bielsa.
Guardiola said he was ‘delighted’ to have Phillips after he finally recovered from shoulder surgery to make his City debut six months after signing, adding: “I think he’s an intelligent player and has an incredible work ethic in the training sessions.”
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However, Guardiola also had to apologise to Phillips for telling a press conference the midfielder was ‘overweight’ on his return back from representing England at the 2022 World Cup.
“When he will be ready, he will play,” Guardiola said in December 2022. “We need him. We need him a lot.”
Over a year later, when Phillips had left for West Ham on loan, and Phillips had publicly opened up on the impact of the comments, Guardiola said: “I’m sorry. I do apologise to him. I’m so sorry.”
Kalvin Phillips still has three years left on Manchester City contract, but no way back under Pep Guardiola
Only half-way through a six-year contract at the Etihad Stadium, Pep Guardiola has made it clear that he sees no way for Kalvin Phillips to feature in his midfield.
More than once in the last two seasons, Guardiola has said he ‘struggles to see’ Phillips playing in his system. In 2023 he said: “I visualise the team and things, I struggle a little bit to see him, that’s all. It’s not because I am not pleased. I feel so sorry for him.”
Kalvin Phillips statistics at Manchester City (Source: Transfermarkt)
Appearances – 31
Starts – 6
Substitute appearances – 25
Unused substitute – 45
Total minutes played – 914
Goals – 1
Assists – 0
Last summer, Guardiola said Phillips is better when a game requires ‘chaos’, adding: “Kalvin likes to see all the game in front of him. When he is in the middle surrounded by players he struggles a little bit.”
Famously a manager who craves control, Guardiola pushed Phillips to centre-back in pre-season last summer, before sending him out on loan to Ipswich and now giving away his squad number.
Phillips has not featured with the first team since, and despite failing to generate any transfer interest, he is still not involved in Guardiola’s squad. It seems the earliest Phillips could play will be 2026 with another move away in the January transfer window.