According to talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is ‘really interested’ in a potential loan swoop for a Premier League-winning midfielder in the closing days of the summer transfer window.
Kalvin Phillips is reportedly a name under consideration for the Reds as they seek to bolster their squad ahead of Friday night’s deadline, with the Manchester City player having been of interest to the Anfield hierarchy dating back to his time at Leeds (talkSPORT).
The 27-year-old has struggled for game-time under Pep Guardiola since his move to the Etihad Stadium last summer, leading to speculation over a possible exit from the Champions League holders.
Crook believes Liverpool could possibly swoop for the England international amid Man City’s reported interest in Wolves midfielder Matheus Nunes (Sky Sports), with the treble winners’ stance potentially hinging on that transfer pursuit.
He told GIVEMESPORT: “Kalvin Phillips is a name that has been mentioned to me in the last couple of weeks as someone that Klopp is really interested in.
“It might be possibly that Manchester City would let him go on loan. I guess that might depend on if City can get the Matheus Nunes deal over the line.”
In relation to the Reds, the journalist added: “They probably are still one midfielder light. I think that’s the priority.”
Having featured in only 14 Premier League games last season (12 as a substitute) and failed to make it onto the pitch for City so far this term, it seems clear that Guardiola doesn’t see Phillips as a core member of his preferred line-up in Manchester.
Not even the summer exit of Ilkay Gundogan has helped the Englishman’s prospects of game-time, while the champions’ ongoing links with Nunes illustrate that the former Leeds midfielder simply isn’t fancied by his manager.
You’d therefore imagine that the 27-year-old could jump at the chance to enjoy a fresh start elsewhere, and Liverpool could still do with adding a Premier League-proven defensive midfielder to their squad.
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It seems like an ideal move for both Phillips and the Reds, but whether City would be happy to loan him to one of their biggest rivals is another matter.
It’d be unfair to judge him on his time at the Etihad, having being given so little opportunity by Guardiola, so a fairer barometer could be his performances for Leeds, for whom he showed his tigerish qualities by averaging 2.65 tackles per game across his two Premier League seasons with the club (WhoScored).
He’d also help towards Liverpool meeting homegrown quota requirements for their domestic and European squads, so while the England midfielder mightn’t seem the most glamorous option to pursue, a loan move for him would actually make plenty of sense in the final days of the transfer window.