European giants set for Man City meeting ‘as soon as possible’ over Kalvin Phillips deal

Kalvin Phillips appears to be set for a January move away from Manchester City after failing to make his mark in the first team squad this season.

The England international has a had a rough go of it since signing for City from his boyhood club, Leeds United, in the summer of 2021 for a reported fee of £42 million pounds. As a result, Phillips could be angling for a move away in January.

Reports in the summer suggested that the Etihad club were keen on finding a new home for Phillips should the offer arise, but the midfielder is said to have rejected any departure in an effort to stay and fight for his place in Pep Guardiola’s squad.

Those efforts were futile in the end for the 28-year-old, who has remained on the periphery of the City first-team, rarely leaving his spot on the bench.

In a recent interview, Pep Guardiola said he felt “so sorry” that Phillips does not get the game time required, but in the end it is ultimately Guardiola’s decisions to keep the midfielder at arm’s length.

“He doesn’t deserve what has happened to him,” Guardiola said.

“The only thing I can say about him is I am asking for good personalities and characters and he is a perfect example. And after that I have to give him something and I didn’t do that.”

“It’s just because I visualise some things and visualise the team and things – and I struggle to see him.”

According to reports from Gazzetta dello Sport in Italy, and translated by Sports Witness, however, Serie A giants Juventus could swoop into rescue Phillips from his Manchester City nightmare.

Juventus are said to be keen on bringing in a ‘low-cost reinforcement’ in their midfield ranks. To make the move happen, the Italian club are said to be closing in on a meeting with Manchester City ‘as soon as possible’.

The report suggests that only City stand in the way of the deal being completed.