One area of their squad that Leeds United are rumoured to be looking to upgrade if they get promoted back to the Premier League is their midfield. In truth, the options available to Daniel Farke in the middle of the park are somewhat few and far between.
The main man in the pivot this season has been Ao Tanaka, who has been a key member of Leeds’ promotion charge this term.
Partnering him has often been the experienced Joe Rothwell, with Joshua Guilavogui another player at Farke’s disposal. Ethan Ampadu would likely have played a big role, but has only just made his return from injury.
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So, perhaps unsurprisingly, the Whites are looking to bolster their midfield options during the summer transfer window and have already been linked with one player.
Leeds targeting new midfielder
When a homegrown player leaves your football club, it can often be more disappointing than any other sale. Well, Leeds fans surely felt that way about Kalvin Phillips departing the club in 2022 for Manchester City for £45m.
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However, if a report from Pete O'Rourke for Football Insider, is to be believed, the Whites are looking to re-sign their former midfielder this summer.
Whilst the midfielder would 'seriously consider' a move to the Championship, promotion this season is ideal for Leeds to be able to truly afford the deal.
Ipswich-Town-Kalvin-Phillips
If the Yorkshire side are to pull this move off, it will be 'dependent on City lowering their asking price'. However, it does seem like it will be a straightforward deal.
O’Rourke suggests they are 'in a transfer race of one' due to a general lack of interest in Phillips, giving them a potential clear route to completing the signing.
Why Leeds could be signing Tanaka 2.0
What a moment it would be for all parties involved in this deal if Phillips was to return to Elland Road. Things have obviously not worked out for the England international since his departure three summers ago, but his quality is undeniable when at his best.
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Despite the high fee City paid for him back in 2022, Phillips made just 31 appearances for the club. He has had two loan spells, one at West Ham United for six months last term, where he played ten times, and the other this term at Ipswich Town, where he has featured in 20 games.
Yet, for Leeds, he was superb. Described as an “exceptional talent” by football scout Antonio Mango, he made 234 appearances for his boyhood club, scoring 14 times and assisting 13. Lovingly dubbed the “Yorkshire Pirlo” by those at the club, he was sensational at Leeds.
Arguably, Phillips’ best season came in 2020/21. Not only did he play well in that campaign in the Premier League, but he was also excellent in Euro 2020 for England in the summer of 2021 and won the Player of the Year award as a result.
In fact, the stats of the Leeds-born midfielder from the 2020/21 campaign show just how well he played and are comparable to Tanaka from this term.
Both of them were, or are, pivotal players in the middle of the park at Elland Road, so to potentially see them playing together is exciting for Leeds.
As the stats on FBref show, they are both progressive midfielders, with Phillips in 2020/21 averaging 5.07 progressive passes and Tanaka this term an impressive 7.43 each game.
As for their off-the-ball work, the England international made 7.93 ball recoveries per 90 minutes four seasons ago, compared to Tanaka’s 6.01.
Phillips and Tanaka key stats compared
Stat (per 90)
Progressive passes
Key passes
Blocks
Tackles and interceptions
Ball recoveries
Stats from FBref
For Leeds fans, potentially seeing their former midfield star and the man currently running the game for them in midfield together in a pivot must be exciting. At their best, they are midfield generals who are excellent progressors of play.
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It could be an exceptional signing for Leeds, who seem to be the only side interested in Phillips, who earns £150k per week, as per Capology.
If he can rediscover his old form, then he could form a superb partnership in midfield with Tanaka.
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They could finally get their man...