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David Moyes | Getty Images
Everton have the chance to bolster their ranks in the January transfer window ahead of the second half of the Premier League season
Everton won 2-1 at home to Crystal Palace in their last outing before the international break. Jack Grealish scored a late winner for them against the Eagles at the Hill Dickinson Stadium as they secured a useful three points. Iliman Ndiaye also managed to get himself on the scoresheet.
The Toffees are sat in 8th place in the Premier League table after their first seven fixtures. They are back in action next weekend with a tricky away trip to the Etihad Stadium to play Manchester City as they look to keep their momentum going. David Moyes’ men should be in confident mood at the moment.
Everton target Kalvin Phillips transfer swoop
Phillips, 29, is under contract at City until 2028. However, he struggles for game time there and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him head out the exit door for a new challenge. His current club signed him in 2022 and he has since made 32 appearances in all competitions, one of which has come this season. His only appearance this season was in the League Cup against Huddersfield Town.
The Yorkshireman rose up through the academy ranks at Leeds United and was a regular at various different youth levels. He broke into their first-team and went on to play 234 matches altogether, finding the net on 14 occasions. The Leeds-born man helped his boyhood club get promoted from the Championship under Marcelo Bielsa during his time at Elland Road. He remains a hero in Leeds but a return to his former club is unlikely.
Would Kalvin Phillips suit Everton?
Everton could see Phillips as someone to boost their midfield ranks. If he joined the Toffees, he would give them more competition and depth in the middle of the park. A change of scene would do him good and he is likely to get more minutes under Moyes.
It has been a tough spell for him at City. He has been loaned out by Guardiola to both West Ham and Ipswich Town over recent years. Phillips said in an interview with Sky Sports last year : "At City, you can train with the best players every single day but if you're not playing football every day, it's difficult to stay fit, it's difficult to stay confident. When there are times you're feeling like you could play and the manager decides to go down a different route, it does hurt a little bit.
“The more I wasn't playing, the less confident I got, the less fit I got. I just wanted to get that feeling back. I felt like I lost some fire in my belly to compete sometimes, but ever since I've been here, and even in pre-season when I played a lot of minutes I got that fire back, and made the decision to come here to play football and get back doing enjoying what I do.”
Phillips has watched Grealish excel at Everton and may view a move to Merseyside as a way to save his ailing career.
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