The Kalvin Phillips rumours linking him with a return to Elland Road have earned mixed feelings from Leeds United fans. A product of the Leeds academy, the midfielder’s role in getting Leeds back to the Premier League in 2020 earned him the moniker of the ‘Yorkshire Pirlo’. He was pivotal to Marcelo Bielsa’s system and the Whites fans loved him for his roots at the club. He eventually moved on to join Manchester City in 2022 and a year later Leeds were relegated to the Championship. His career has not gone according to plan since then and he is now keen on a return to his boyhood club in the summer transfer window.
Phillips struggled for two years at Manchester City where his fitness came under question and he eventually left the Premier League champions on loan to join Ipswich Town last summer.
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Kieran McKenna’s side seem doomed for relegation back to the Premier League at the end of the season and the midfielder will be looking for a new club in the next transfer window.
He has no future at Manchester City and they are prepared to accept offers to sell him on a permanent deal at the end of the season next summer.
A return to Leeds has been mooted and the Whites are believed to be keeping tabs on him with a view to signing the midfielder if they get promoted to the Premier League at the end of the season.
Phillips pushing for a Leeds United return in the summer
Phillips will be at the crossroads for his career in the summer. Manchester City have moved on from him and are happy to sell him in the next transfer window.
His next move needs to work out for the midfielder and it is no surprise that Leeds are interested in getting their hands on the 29-year-old next summer.
Leeds wanted to sign him last year as well but once they lost the playoff final, it became clear that Phillips would not be returning to Elland Road.
The Whites are expected to return to the Premier League, they want to offer Phillips a way back to Elland Road and according to Football Insider, he is also pushing for the move.
He wants to return to Elland Road and try to re-energise his career under the familiar surroundings of a club where he grew up and became a professional footballer.
Leeds need to secure promotion before any deal can be discussed but there is a willingness on all sides to agree on a deal for his return to the club.
Some groundwork for a deal has already been laid out and there is believed to be a verbal agreement in place between Leeds and Phillips for the transfer.
All eyes are now on whether Leeds can get promoted to ensure the midfielder returns to his boyhood club in the summer.
A cut-price deal makes sense for everyone
It is clear that his move to Manchester City has not worked out but he will still have three years left on his contract at the Etihad in the summer.
Manchester City are open to offers for him but there are suggestions that they could demand as much as £30m before agreeing to sell Phillips in the next window.
Leeds are keen to get him back but it seems unlikely that the 49ers would agree to pay such a figure for a defensive midfielder who turns 30 next season.
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A deal would have to make financial sense to Leeds even though they would have more money to spend if they get promoted to the Premier League.
The Whites would be more willing to do a deal if Manchester City agreed to accept a fee in the region of £20m for the player in the summer.
Phillips and Leeds want the move and if they get promoted, the deal would hinge on Manchester City being reasonable during negotiations.
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