Kalvin Phillips: West Ham and Man City agree loan deal for midfielder
West Ham and Manchester City have come to a deal where Kalvin Phillips will be lent to West Ham.
Phillips joined City in July 2022 for a staggering £45 million. However, he has only featured in 31 games during his time with the club. Manager Pep Guardiola commented in December that he does not see the English midfielder as a part of his team's future plans.
It appears that the 28-year-old will be departing from the Etihad on a temporary arrangement, but it is possible for them to make a permanent move to the Hammers.
On Tuesday, Phillips traveled by plane along with the rest of Manchester City's team from their training camp in Abu Dhabi where they experienced warmer weather. It is anticipated that a medical check-up will be carried out sometime this week.
This month, City was approached by Crystal Palace and Newcastle regarding a potential deal. In addition, it was rumored that Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Juventus also showed interest.
This season, Phillips hasn't been able to start in the Premier League even once, whereas he had only managed to start twice in the previous term.
Before the transfer window, Guardiola disclosed that the 28-year-old player, who has played just four league matches this season, cannot fit into his squad. He stated: "When I picture the team, it's difficult for me to picture him."
Phillips: A Wealth Of Potential Left
Nick Wright, a writer for Sky Sports, has recently shared his thoughts on the upcoming football season.
Kalvin Phillips was believed to be a suitable candidate to replace Fernandinho in Manchester City's midfield due to his qualities. However, it turns out that his recruitment was a rare mistake made by the reigning champions.
Phillips watched most of the action from the sidelines as Pep Guardiola's team dominated last season, winning three titles. This season has been similar for Phillips. He has only started six times in a year and a half, which adds up to just seven per cent of the Premier League minutes available.
Usually, being out of favour for a long time would be a warning sign for potential new team offers. However, the situation at Etihad Stadium is different. Guardiola has very high expectations, especially for the No. 6 position, which already has Rodri on the team.
The Spaniard is highly valuable to City as they continue to rely on him heavily. Whenever he has been absent this season, they have lost all three of those Premier League games. This just goes to demonstrate his significance to the team and why he is regularly starting when he is able to play.
Despite his determination to prove his worth and stay with Guardiola, Phillips' efforts proved futile as he failed to earn a spot in the team even when Rodri was absent during the first half of the season. This was a clear indication that Phillips' time with Guardiola was coming to an end.
Learn more about how Phillips may thrive once more in a new environment.
Keep Up With January Transfers
The transfer period for winter is currently ongoing and is set to come to a close on Thursday 1st February at 11pm in England, and midnight in Scotland.
In order to match the schedules of the main European leagues, the deadlines were established after talks with the EFL, DFL, Serie A, LaLiga, and LFP. All of these leagues will end their summer and winter transfer periods on September 1st and February 1st respectively.
Stay informed with the most recent updates on player transfers and rumors by visiting our Transfer Centre blog available on Sky Sports' online platforms. Additionally, you can discover the arrivals, departures, and expert opinions on transfer news through Sky Sports News. Tune in to our daily transfer broadcasts and listen to our Transfer Talk podcast.
