In a recent report, inews.co.uk mentioned that Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips is on the radar of Newcastle United. It has been claimed that the Magpies are one of the clubs showing their interest in recruiting the Whites midfield star.
Phillips’ Up And Down Season In English Football
Phillips has experienced a campaign of mixed emotions at Elland Road so far as he has been sidelined for a lot of games due to a hamstring injury. The 26-year-old has registered one goal and one assist in 17 matches for the Whites this season across all competitions.
The Leeds-born sensation deserves some credit for averaging 2.1 tackles, 1.1 interceptions, 0.9 clearances and 0.9 shots per game in Premier League football. He has even been tidy with his ball distribution based on his pass success rate of 82.6% in the English top tier (stats via whoscored).
Can Leeds United Boss Jesse Marsch Afford To Lose Phillips?
Phillips can get stuck in with some crunching tackles to make life tough for the opposition at the centre of the park and usually works hard for his team. He can sense the danger quickly to earn the ball back in midfield and can even clear his lines when the opposition are on the front foot.
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The English sensation can strike the ball with power from long range and is a tidy passer of the ball from midfield. Thus, he ticks all the right boxes in terms of what Newcastle are looking for this summer.
Still, the Whites would be better off keeping hold of him for the time being as he is currently one of their most valuable assets and could have a great resale value in the future. Hence, Marsch would be wise to try everything he can to keep Phillips at Elland Road beyond this summer.
His current contract at the Yorkshire club is set to run out in the summer of 2024, so Marsch has no immediate pressure to cash in on his prized asset in the off-season. With all things considered, Leeds simply cannot afford to lose Phillips as he could help them challenge for a top-half finish in the Premier League next season.
