Leeds United are reportedly planning a move to re-sign Kalvin Phillips should the club secure promotion back to the Premier League this season.
Phillips made 234 appearances for Leeds across 12 seasons at the club, with the midfielder playing a key role in their promotion winning season in 2019-20.
His performances in the Premier League for Leeds saw Phillips become a central part of the England squad at Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup, as well as earning a £42million move to Man City in 2022.
Phillips has since struggled at Man City and on loan at West Ham, but Leeds are reportedly keen to give the midfielder a chance to revive his career.
According to the Sun, Leeds are reportedly prepared to pay around £30million to re-sign Phillips from Man City this summer.
Leeds United are reportedly eyeing a move to re-sign Kalvin Phillips if the club are promoted
Leeds are prepared to offer Phillips a move to revive his career after a disastrous West Ham loan
Phillips conceded a penalty as he caught Anthony Gordon in West Ham’s loss to Newcastle
A move, however, would hinge on Leeds being promoted from the Championship.
Daniel Farke’s side are currently involved in a tight race for the two automatic promotion spots, with Leeds lying one point behind leaders Ipswich with seven matches to play.
Leicester are a point behind Leeds in third, but have a game in hand on their rivals.
A return to Leeds would potentially give Phillips the chance to rebuild following a difficult 18 months.
He endured a miserable time at Man City, including making just four starts this season, before joining West Ham on loan.
Since joining West Ham in January, Phillips has made eight appearances, mainly featuring as a substitute.
The 28-year-old, who was left out of the England squad for games against Brazil and Belgium, has faced criticism during the loan.
Phillips was blamed for Dominic Solanke’s goal for Bournemouth on his debut, before being sent off after receiving two bookings in three minutes against Nottingham Forest.
His loan hit a new low against Newcastle on Saturday after Phillips was brought off the bench with West Ham leading 3-1 at Newcastle.
He conceded a penalty for a foul on Anthony Gordon in the 77th minute, from which Alexander Isak scored.
Phillips was also turned by Harvey Barnes for the goal that brought the home side’s victory in the 90th minute.
West Ham’s Kalvin Phillips stuck his middle finger up at fans after their defeat by Newcastle
Phillips joined West Ham on loan in search of game time by has struggled since joining
The England international then reacted angrily to being called ‘useless’ by a West Ham supporter and flashed his middle finger as he boarded the team bus after the 4-3 defeat.
Fans were heard asking to take a picture with Phillips but he instead got on the team bus, before one supporter shouted that he is ‘useless’.
Phillips, clearly angry at the criticism, then stuck his middle finger up, with fans subsequently saying ‘get out’.
West Ham boss David Moyes admitted his decision to bring on Phillips in the 69th minute for Michail Antonio ‘did not work’.
‘I actually thought at that time when we went 3-1 up, Newcastle were the better team and still were,’ he said. ‘I thought an extra midfield player would give us more control in the middle of the pitch. Obviously, it didn’t work,’ Moyes said.
‘We needed a defensive structure that could be steady and see themselves through. We tried to find it by the change (Phillips on).
‘We tried to find something that would give us more structure and a bit more organisation.
The Man City loanee has also lost his place in the England squad amid a struggle for form
‘But I have to say, before the penalty kick, Newcastle missed two big chances in the middle of the goal, so that was the reason we made the change, not because we were thinking we were winning 3-1.
‘They had missed big chances and I was trying to make sure we weren’t going to lose and make the change in a positive fashion.
‘We tried to make it at that time, and obviously it didn’t work out.
‘But I’m not going to say anything about any player. I wouldn’t do that, it would be wrong.’
