Manchester City, Kalvin Phillips, Leeds United, Pep Guardiola, Manchester City transfer news, Kalvin Phillips career, Kalvin Phillips Manchester City
In a key development, Manchester City has made another big signing by reaching a transfer agreement with Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips. According to reports, City has agreed to sign Phillips for a fee of £45 million, including add-ons. This comes just days after the English Premier League club confirmed the signing of Norwegian footballer Erling Haaland, whom they secured from Borussia Dortmund on a five-year deal.
Phillips is the latest player to be signed by Manchester City ahead of the start of the forthcoming Premier League season. Media reports suggest that the deal is yet to be finalised with Phillips only having reached the agreement on personal terms. Leeds United has reportedly agreed to release Phillips so that he may embark on the next phase of his footballing journey. Phillips will still need to pass a medical test before City can officially confirm his signing.
Kalvin Phillips' career
The 26-year-old is a Leeds United academy graduate who made his first-team debut in 2015. In 2019, Phillips signed a new five-year contract with Leeds, which allowed him to remain at his boyhood club until 2022. Phillips went on to play a crucial role in Leeds' victory in the 2019-20 EFL Championship. Leeds registered a 1–0 victory over Barnsley to win the Football League Championship and earn a place in the Premier League.
Phillips' performance in the 2019-20 season garnered a lot of attention from top-tier clubs, including that of England manager Gareth Southgate, who marked him for a possible call-up ahead of the UEFA Nations League. Phillips received his first international cap in September 2020 during a game against Denmark in the Nations League. He became only the third player in over 20 years to make an appearance for England without having played in the country's top-division football league.
Phillips was also part of the England squad for the UEFA Euro 2020. He started in every game that England played in the tournament, including the final against Italy. England failed to win the Euro 2020 title after losing on penalties. Phillips, however, was named England's 2020–21 Men's Player of the Year for his outstanding performance in the tournament.