Former Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips is at a career crossroads after his loan stint at Sheffield United has gone horribly wrong.
The midfielder has played just three games since joining Sheffield United on loan in the winter window, and has not featured since picking up a red card in the Steel City derby earlier this year.
He was expected to return to action from a knee injury after the international break. However, the 30-year-old has not been seen in action and is unlikely to play again this season.
Chris Wilder’s recent comments have suggested that Sheffield United may not look to bring him back even if Manchester City agree to terminate his contract.
However, Phillips’ struggles in the Championship have not made a dent in his earning power.
Kalvin Phillips has earned a whopping £5m despite playing just 46 games since leaving Leeds
Phillips signed a lucrative £150,000-a-week contract with Manchester City when he left Leeds in 2022. He has done little to justify that salary.
However, Manchester City are still paying a lion’s share of wages while he is on loan at Sheffield United, and it has continued to remain a problem for the club.
He signed lucrative deals with companies such as Adidas, which has kept his earning potential at a top level despite his struggles on the pitch.
New filings for the forgotten midfielder’s image rights company, KP23 Ltd, cited by the Sun, reveal he’s bringing in around £1.3 million a year from off-field deals.
He has earned more than £5m in just image rights over the last four years, despite playing just 46 games since leaving Leeds.
That works out at over £100,000 per game, highlighting just how complicated and costly it would be for Manchester City to cut ties with him this summer, if they choose to.
He may be running out of time at Sheffield United
Phillips’ red card and the injury setback have only weakened his chances of securing a permanent move to Sheffield United, with a return now looking increasingly unlikely.
While Chris Wilder is keen to bring in players with promotion-winning experience next season, and Phillips does tick that box, his situation has made things far more complicated.
He first needs to get back to full fitness, and it’s still unclear whether he’ll feature again before the Championship campaign wraps up.
Even if Manchester City were willing to terminate his contract, Phillips is running out of time to prove he’s worth bringing back to Bramall Lane, and at this stage, the odds seem firmly stacked against him.
The financial complicati0ns of getting him out of Manchester City are another issue any club would have to counter if they want to sign Phillips.
