Ipswich Town set to agree deal for Manchester City first-team star in ‘statement signing’

Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips is poised to complete a season-long loan switch to Ipswich Town.

The 28-year-old is set to complete a second successive loan move away from Manchester City, having spent the second-half of the recent 2023/24 campaign at the London Stadium with West Ham United.

Phillips, who moved to the Etihad Stadium for £42 million from Leeds United in 2022, has made just six starts for Pep Guardiola’s side since moving from Elland Road.

The midfielder has made 31 appearances for Manchester City across two campaigns, and was rewarded with a Premier League medal in May, despite featuring only 10 times for the Sky Blues.

Phillips won five trophies with the Blues prior to moving to West Ham on loan, clinching the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, Emirates FA Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup.

The 28-year-old featured as a centre-back during Manchester City’s recent pre-season tour of the United States, and has been subject to interest from Premier League pair Everton and Aston Villa.

The Englishman is poised to move elsewhere ahead of the start of the new Premier League campaign however, with newly-promoted Ipswich Town reportedly ‘on the brink’ of completing a season-long loan move for the player.

Mike McGrath reports that Phillips’ move would be a ‘statement signing’ for Ipswich, with Portman Road bosses closing in on an agreement to sign the Manchester City player.

Manchester City had been expected to sell Phillips this summer, however the loan agreement does not include the option for Ipswich to permanently sign the player in the future, according to BBC Sport.

Phillips would become the second Manchester City player to join Kieran McKenna’s side this summer, after Ipswich completed the permanent signing of striker Liam Delap.

Ipswich Town are due to visit the Etihad Stadium during the opening weeks of the Premier League season, travelling to Manchester City on Saturday 24 August.