Sheffield United are reportedly closing in on the loan signing of former Leeds United star Kalvin Phillips from Manchester City.
The 30-year-old left Leeds for a fresh start across the Pennines four years ago, sealing a £45m move to Manchester City.
He was a hero at Elland Road but has struggled since his exit, finding opportuniites limited at the Etihad Stadium and facing various injuries.
Phillips was borrowed by Sheffield United in January, only to see his season curtailed by injury after just three outings for the Blades.
Kalvin Phillips is firmly out of favour at Manchester City.placeholder image
Kalvin Phillips is firmly out of favour at Manchester City. | Jan Kruger/Getty Images
Sheffield United ‘closing in’ on Kalvin Phillips
Sheffield United have retained interest and according to The Star, are now edging closer to securing the midfielder’s signature for a second time.
Phillips has two years left to run on a lucrative deal at Manchester City, which makes it difficult for a permanent exit to be negotiated.
The England-capped Yorkshireman could, however, have a chance to breathe life back into his career with a full season in South Yorkshire.
He would be bolstering a midfield that appears set to lose Gustavo Hamer, who is seemingly on his way back to former club Coventry City.
Kalvin Phillips has been unable to recapture the form he showed at Leeds United.placeholder image
Kalvin Phillips has been unable to recapture the form he showed at Leeds United. | Bruce Rollinson
Kalvin Phillip’s contrasting Yorkshire experiences
Phillips is a product of the Leeds academy and was blooded as a teenager in 2015. He went on to make 214 appearances for his boyhood club, thriving under the tutelage of Marcelo Bielsa following his appointment in 2018.
He was part of the club’s Championship title-winning 2019/20 campaign and later starred for the Whites in the Premier League.
Reflecting on his first loan stint at Sheffield United in an interview with the Yorkshire Evening Post in June,, Phillips said: “It was alright, all two games of it. I suffered an injury which kept me out for the rest of the season.
“That's been the problem for me, the last three years of not playing regularly, it's made me acquire more injuries and stuff like that, so I'm looking forward to hopefully having a good season, actually.”