Manchester City’s decision to sign Kalvin Phillips raised eyebrows as Rodri is likely to keep him out of the starting eleven this coming campaign. Read Man City don’t believe he’ll get a lot of minutes next season, at least not in his preferred role, and Frank McAvennie agrees.
Rodri was outstanding for City last season and could lay claim to being the best defensive-midfielder in the Premier League, so McAvennie questions why Phillips has signed a six-year deal when the 26-year-old’s starting place in the squad is guaranteed.
He told Football Insider: “I’m surprised they bought Phillips. I’m really surprised because I thought Rodri came into a game last season. I thought he was outstanding in that position.
Who should Pep Guardiola start in defensive-midfield?
Rodri
Kalvin Phillips
“I can’t see him playing both of them. So maybe that’s why he bought Phillips, maybe Rodri wants to leave, wants a new challenge. I could see him going and challenging himself somewhere else. That’s what Phillips would be there for.”
Rodri made 33 Premier League appearances from a possible 38 last season, scoring seven goals with two assists. The Spanish international is a key player for Pep Guardiola and was deemed City’s most consistent performer in 2021/22, so there’s little chance he will be dethroned.
Phillips said he left Leeds because he wanted to work with Guardiola, and clearly the City manager is a fan of his, but it’s hard to see him getting much playing time if everyone stays fit. Read Man City questioned whether he’d be used in a makeshift fullback role like Oleksandr Zinchenko and Fabian Delph, but there’s no suggestion that’s the case just yet.
In other news, Man City player tipped to ‘play more’ games next season with 27 y/o ‘moving on’