Often clubs make transfers that ultimately do not bring much benefit to the team. This can be influenced by many factors: injuries, loss of form, change of coach. But there are also cases when a player in the prime of his life goes for a promotion, but after the deal is finalized, he only degrades. Donny van de Beek would fit this description, but his case is not the only one. In another part of Manchester there is also a player whose career has gone downhill.
Midfielder Calvin Phillips was Leeds’ star and hope. Before the arrival of Marcelo Bielsa, the Whites had little reason to celebrate. However, Phillips always pleased the fans. They sang songs about him in stadiums and other public places, calling the Leeds graduate “the Yorkshire Pirlo”. He repaid the fans with a quality game. The midfielder has been in the Leeds system since 2010, and in the 2014/15 season he already began playing for the first team in the Championship. In 2016, he was already a first-team player in his club.
After Phillips’ debut at the big level, Leeds spent another 5 seasons in the Championship until they became the best team in the second division under the leadership of Bielsa. However, the Whites did not stay long in the Premier League. They finished the 2021/22 season in 17th place – just three points above the relegation zone. In the last campaign, Leeds could no longer escape. Phillips did not want to fight for survival with his home club. This is understandable, since there was demand for him in the Premier League, and from representatives of the big six. Among them were also Manchester United and Manchester City.
In an interview, the 28-year-old midfielder said that he could not accept the offer from Manchester United. This makes sense given the historical enmity between the Mancunians and Leeds. So he moved to Manchester City. The Citizens paid 49 million euros for the player. Of course, Leeds and Manchester City are teams of different levels. Phillips realized this in the first match of last season, spending only one minute on the pitch against West Ham. But the guy played in the Champions League for the first time in his life and probably got an incredible impression. Moreover, in his debut match, the townspeople defeated Seville (4:0).
For the midfielder, everything did not go according to plan at the new club from the very first days. Already for the second match of the 2022/23 season, he was not included in the lineup, spent the third match in reserve, and then was out for a long time due to a shoulder injury. In the first half of the season, Phillips played only 1 minute in the Premier League – that same minute in the match against West Ham. The footballer returned to the field in January 2023, but played only once after 2-3 matches. The Leeds graduate spent most of the season on the bench. It was only towards the end of the campaign that Pep Guardiola began to give him more time, when Arsenal had already been beaten in the title race.
Last season was fantastic for Manchester City. City won the treble. Phillips immediately after Leeds reached unprecedented heights. But he was hardly happy with his position. His contribution to all the team’s trophies was minimal. Guardiola repeatedly noted the human qualities of the midfielder, but at the same time made it clear that he was not very happy with him in terms of play. The specialist pointed out that his ward was overweight and other reasons why he almost never played. The main one was Rodri, who has been in good form for a long time. However, the Englishman is not even considered as a replacement for the Spaniard.
Getty Images. Calvin Phillips and Pep Guardiola
In the summer, Manchester City signed two central midfielders at once. The treble winners were Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea for 29 million euros and Matheus Nunez from Wolverhampton for 62 million. Phillips’ career at the Etihad was then put in serious doubt as competition for a place in the squad increased even more. Guardiola made it clear in every possible way that he did not count on Calvin, constantly preferring other players. Phillips has not played in the Premier League since November, having already missed 8 matches in a row. He entered the Champions League only when the townspeople were no longer worried about the result.
In the end, Guardiola admitted that he could not give playing time to Phillips. At the same time, the specialist made it clear that he would not prevent the player from leaving. But even here, not everything is so simple, since Manchester City releases players only on favorable terms. Even a loan can be difficult for other clubs, not to mention a full-fledged transfer. According to rumors, Juventus has already abandoned the idea of renting the midfielder, since the Turin side will not be able to afford his salary. There are other candidates, but not everything is clear with them either. There are various obstacles that lie not only in the demands of citizens.
Phillips was rumored to be Newcastle’s priority transfer target for January. The Magpies were keen to sign the player but were unable to afford the transfer due to financial regulations. The same goes for Everton, who were also interested in his move. There is a high probability that after deducting points, the Toffees will not sign anyone at all in January. There is also Crystal Palace, but this is also not a very promising option, given that Calvin wants to be in the England team for the European Championship. Overall, the situation is complex. Phillips is at an age when it is quite possible to restart his career, but this also requires the right conditions. It may also be that “Yorkshire Pirlo” will remain in the memory only of Leeds fans.
Text: meta.ua/sport
2024-01-16 21:57:00
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