Leeds United are reportedly exploring the possibility of signing England international Kalvin Phillips on loan this summer – on one condition.
The midfielder had been a solid if unspectacular player at Leeds during his first four seasons with the club after graduating from the academy.
However, the arrival of Marcelo Bielsa as Leeds boss in the summer of 2018 did wonders for his game, turning him from a box-to-box or central midfielder to a deep-lying one; while making use of his long ball distribution and ability to break up play.
His form played a huge part in ending Leeds’ 16-year stay outside the Premier League as the Whites won the Championship in 2020, before having a hugely successful first season back in the English top-flight and earning a host of England caps, too.
Injuries, the sacking of Bielsa, and the team’s worsening form precipitated Phillips’ Elland Road exit, with the Leeds-born player eventually signing for Manchester City in 2022 for £42m after 234 appearances at the Peacocks.
That is as good as it got for Phillips as he struggled for game time under Pep Guardiola, who said he was “overweight” upon his return from the Qatar World Cup in December 2022.
