The January transfer window has been widely acknowledged to be a supremely challenging time to operate within if a side wishes to strengthen.
Claudio Ranieri, when questioned about his club’s potential plans in the market, admitted that he was a fan of Liverpool’s Nathaniel Phillips, though noted that he was hardly in desperate need of defensive additions.
“Look, I like Phillips a lot,” the Italian told reporters, as quoted by the Evening Standard.
“Now, we are very, very full of defenders.
“[But] until the end of the market everything could happen and I have an open mind and am an open man. If someone arrives who can help us, I appreciate that.”
The Bolton-born centre-half (lovingly dubbed the ‘Bolton Baresi’ by the Anfield faithful) has already shared his desire to seek pastures new should the right opportunity come knocking as early as the winter window.
Sitting dangerously close to the relegation zone, albeit with two games in hand on 18th placed Norwich City, and possessing the worst goal difference in the English top-flight as things stand, the question may be one of quality rather than quantity for the Hornets.
Having proven himself in Europe and, critically, domestically during the long-term absences of Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez last term, Ranieri arguably has all the evidence he requires in terms of Phillips’ quality.
Shouldn’t let him go for less than £15m – double if it’s Newcastle. Got to be worth at least 25% of what Utd paid for Maguire.