West Ham agree deal with Manchester City over Kalvin Phillips transfer

West Ham United have reached an agreement with Manchester City over the loan signing of Kalvin Phillips, it has been widely reported.

The future of the 28-year-old midfielder has long been speculated having fallen well down the pecking order in Pep Guardiola’s midfield shortlist, despite having only joined the club from Leeds United in the summer of 2022.

A number of options in midfield have moved ahead of Phillips this season, with Guardiola opting for the likes of Manuel Akanji, John Stones, Rico Lewis, and Mateo Kovacic when replacements have been needed in the absence of Rodri.

However, a loan move away from the club has been relatively difficult to come by this month, with Manchester City standing firm on their financial demands for the player and his Etihad Stadium salary proving somewhat preventative for some suitors.

Now, one Premier League club has won the race for Phillips, offering him the chance to revive his career after difficulties with Manchester City, and perhaps most importantly fight for a place in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the European Championships.

According to the information of The Athletic’s David Ornstein, West Ham have now reached an agreement with Manchester City to sign midfielder Kalvin Phillips on loan for the remainder of the 2023/24 season.

Phillips has been made available for loan by Manchester City this month, with Italian giants Juventus exploring a potential deal at one stage, however no agreement was reached with the Serie A club up until this moment in time.

It is further detailed that personal terms between Kalvin Phillips and London Stadium officials are not expected to be a problem, with West Ham covering the entirety of the former Leeds United man’s salary in the process.

As per Fabrizio Romano, West Ham also have an option to buy Kalvin Phillips on a permanent deal from Manchester City this summer, while medical tests for the player have also been scheduled for Wednesday of this week.

With regards to the specific financials of an option to buy, Florian Plettenberg in Germany is reporting that West Ham will have the opportunity to make a move permanent in the summer for around €40 million, whilst also paying a loan fee for his services this season.

At present it is not expected that Manchester City will seek a replacement for Kalvin Phillips during the ongoing transfer market, however that view is likely to change in the summer transfer window when Txiki Begiristain and colleagues will assess Pep Guardiola’s options.

For the time being, Manchester City are likely to focus their attentions on outgoing loan deals for rising Academy talents, while a total agreement over the signing of Claudio Echeverri from River Plate is likely to arrive in the coming days.

The Argentine under-17 star is set to remain with River Plate until the winter of 2024, before Manchester City make a decision on where to place the player within the European game after he leaves South America.