Fernandinho is set to leave Manchester City at the end of the season and David McDonnell of the Mirror says Pep Guardiola is lining up a move for Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips.
The 26-year-old is an indispensable player at Elland Road and has a contract until 2024, but he could be on the move this summer as Leeds may be relegated from the Premier League.
Phillips has many suitors in the Premier League as he’s one of the best ball-winners in England, boasting more tackles (one every 29 minutes) than Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante, but City aren’t going to sign him.
Leeds are requesting £50m for Phillips which City aren’t likely to pay for a player that won’t be a regular starter. Fernandinho is playing in a supporting role this season, so why would they pay so much to replace him? It won’t happen.
The 26-year-old isn’t a Pep Guardiola player either. While fantastic at turning over possession, Phillips’ pass completion (81.8%) pales in comparison to Rodri (91.8%), Ilkay Gundogan (91.1%) and Fernandinho (88.7%) and he averages 46.2 passes per game compared to Rodri’s 87.5, so Guardiola might want a better ball-player.
In other news, Man City won’t sign 23 y/o for £50.8m despite report