As reported by The Sun, Leeds United midfielder, Kalvin Phillips is not keen on joining Tottenham Hotspur. The Lilywhites were interested in the services of the Englishman, who has become a star in the Championship. But, Phillips has admitted that he has no intentions of leaving Leeds United and wants to play in the Premier League with the Whites.
Why is Kalvin Phillips such a precious commodity?
Phillips is arguably the best holding midfielder in the Championship right now. Since his promotion to the first-team in 2015, he has become an ever-present figure in the side, having notched up 175 competitive appearances for Leeds United already.
Especially under Marcelo Bielsa, the 24-year-old has flourished. His performances last season, when he made 41 league appearances showed a lot of promise as he helped Leeds finish third in the league table. The club missed out on promotion after losing in the promotion playoffs.
This season, however, Phillips has been the central figure in Leeds United’s tremendous success under Bielsa. The Whites are currently leading the table, albeit by just one point, although it remains to be seen whether the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic would affect the season.
Missing out on Phillips could be a huge blow
Tottenham will be disappointed to miss out on Phillips for multiple reasons. Tactically, he could have provided an answer to the club’s midfield problems that have been prevalent ever since the departure of Mousa Dembele.
Indeed, Phillips is the ideal anchorman as far as instigating the build-up play and injecting a sense of balance in the formation is concerned. At Leeds, the 24-year-old is often used as an auxiliary centre-back, meaning he often drops deep and joins the centre-backs, helping the club provide more balance defensively.
This is something the current crop of Spurs midfielders have lacked. Harry Winks, in particular, does not have the sense of maturity to play out that role. Moreover, he often appears tentative when dealing with a high pressing opposition.
What should Mourinho do?
Fortunately for Spurs, Phillips isn’t the only option in the market. Realistically, Mourinho could pursue someone like Mario Gotze. The Borussia Dortmund star has ample experience at the highest level of football. His nimble footwork and excellent technical and positional awareness might make him an ideal addition to the side.
Other options include Franck Kessie of AC Milan or Thomas Partey of Atletico Madrid. However, it could be significantly difficult for Tottenham to get their hands on either of these two midfielders.
