
Leeds United have been linked with Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips since last year.
The 28-year old left Elland Road in a reported £42 million deal to join the Premier League champions. Phillips had an amazing year for club and country, and was named England Men’s Player of the Year in 2021. The move to the Premier League champions was just the peak of Phillips’ story; from an academy player to one of the best midfielders in the country.
However the move to Manchester City was not as smooth, Phillips struggled for playing time under Pep Guardiola. The midfielder’s injuries also did not help. After over a year at the club, City were already looking for loans to give Phillips a chance to rediscover his form.
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Kalvin Phillips speaks on Leeds United transfer decision

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Leeds United were one of the clubs linked with a move for Kalvin Phillips. The club were on their way to the Premier League after they booked a spot in the Championship playoff final. Phillips was in the crowd when Leeds lost the playoff final. During the summer, the links to Phillips faded as other clubs joined the queue. With Leeds no longer able to offer Premier League football, Ipswich Town won the race for the midfielder.
Phillips revealed in an interview with the East Anglian Daily Times, that if Leeds won promotion, the story would have been different:
“I went to that game [play-off final] and was devastated they didn’t go up. Obviously I wanted Leeds to get promoted. It’s a club very close to my heart.
“Even if Leeds had been promoted and Ipswich had maybe come up in the play-offs then it still would have been a very close call as to where I’d have gone because I just love the story of Ipswich. The more I looked into the team and the manager and the club’s rebuild the more I liked.”
Ipswich Town finished second in the Championship and won automatic promotion to the Premier League.
“I’d played against a few of the boys here and I just felt like they were good people. I could tell what type of team it would be if I did come here.
“I just needed a team that was together and to be at a place where I’d enjoy coming in every single day. I wanted to play every week in a team of fighters that work really hard. It just felt like Ipswich fitted me to a tee and I still feel that way.”
With Phillips’ place at Manchester City looking shaky, Leeds could have another chance to sign him if they win promotion next summer. The club are also linked with current City midfielder James McAtee.
