Kalvin Phillips had to pull out of international duty with England after undergoing surgery on a persistent shoulder injury, but Kevin Campbell believes the 26-year-old will miss the 2022 World Cup as he won’t have recovered in time.
England’s opening game in the tournament is on November 21, giving Phillips less than two months to recover, so Campbell doubts he’ll be ready in time to feature. Gareth Southgate must name his provisional squad for the World Cup in 27 days and Phillips might not be 100% by then.
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Campbell told Football Insider: “He is not going to make it. If his shoulder keeps popping out he is going to have to get it pinned. There is no way back for him before the World Cup. He is not going to be able to play enough football beforehand.
“It is a shame, but the health of the player must come first. Manchester City need to get him right because they have just spent a lot of money on him. He has been in and around the squad but he has not really had an impact. If he gets his shoulder sorted out he could play a key role in the second half of the season.”
Phillips couldn’t have wished for a worse start to life at Man City. After securing the £46m from Leeds United, the 26-year-old struggled for fitness and playing time, spending the majority of his stint on the bench or on the sidelines.
He’s behind Rodri in the pecking order, making just three appearances and amassing a paltry 13 minutes of football, so Southgate isn’t going to be impressed from what he’s seen of Phillips this season. Injury aside, the 26-year-old hasn’t played enough football to warrant selection.
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