It must be an international week because amid the lack of action on the club front, the transfer rumour mill has been dusted off and is starting to whir as attention begins to turn towards the summer and potential changes. On the Leeds United front, there's a hope promotion to the Premier League is just around the corner.
If that's to indeed happen, then expect a busy summer of activity in and out as Daniel Farke reshapes his squad for the top flight. Leading the transfer talk will be the latest on whether Kalvin Phillips is going to make his return to Elland Road three years after departing for Manchester City in a £42m move.
If that were to happen, and it is our understanding right now that Phillips returning is only regarded as a very small possibility at this stage, then lots would need to change. There does seem to be an acceptance from Man City that they will let the player leave this summer for considerably less than they paid for him, despite having three years left on his contract.
It's also very likely that Phillips would favour a move back to his beloved Leeds in the Premier League after a difficult spell at the current champions and then loan moves to West Ham and Ipswich Town which haven't been all smooth sailing either. Wanting it to happen doesn't mean it will, given his wage demands are something Leeds cannot meet. There needs to be a whole lot of movement on both sides for it to even be a discussion, and as things stand it's a discussion Leeds are not having.
While that is the case, Lee Hendrie says he hopes to see it happen, with the former Premier League player eager to see Phillips line up in a Leeds shirt again. Speaking to Football League World, Hendrie said; “Since he left Leeds, (Phillips) hasn’t been the same player for obvious reasons – injuries and then not getting game-time with Manchester City.
‘There is no doubt he has quality – you don’t move from Leeds to Man City for no reason at all. He was linked with lots of clubs, and he probably had a handful of choices.
“The opportunity of maybe Leeds getting back into the Premier League, it might just be a good fit for him to go back and, knowing Leeds very well, he could just slot back in there.”
There are many who feel it's not the right move for Phillips to go back to Leeds, including many who frequent Elland Road, but Hendrie is clearly not one of those.