Speaking on his Daily Briefing (subscription required), renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano mentioned that Everton are among the clubs hoping to sign Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips. Romano wrote,
‘There’s no major update yet on Kalvin Phillips’ situation. Everton have been linked, and my understanding is that Everton but also many other clubs spoke with his agents, even if at the moment it’s not something close or imminent.
‘I’m told it can take some days to assess all the options and then enter into advanced talks.’
Phillips’ Limited Role At The Etihad Stadium
Phillips struggled to impress with his performances for Man City last season. The English talent was involved in just 20 matches for the Mancunian club in the previous campaign, scoring one goal in multiple competitions.
The 28-year-old made all of his appearances off the bench but did well to average 0.8 tackles, 0.5 interceptions and 0.5 clearances per 90 minutes in the Premier League. He was even accurate when distributing the ball from midfield after making 89.7% of his attempted passes in the English top tier (stats via whoscored).
Will Phillips Be A Dream Option For Everton Boss Sean Dyche?
Phillips is a tough-tackling midfielder who can time his challenges well to secure the ball back for his team inside his half. He usually clears the danger when required and is an accurate passer of the ball. However, frequent injuries have often derailed his progress at Man City. Hence, the English sensation might welcome a change of scenery this summer in search of more game time in the future.
We can expect Phillips to add more bite and steel to Everton head coach Sean Dyche’s midfield department. He is good enough to fight for a regular starting place at Goodison Park next season.
At 28, Phillips is about to enter his prime and could make an immediate impact at the Merseyside club if he can steer clear of injuries. The Toffees will undoubtedly benefit from recruiting someone with his skillset this off-season.
All in all, Phillips would be a dream option for Everton to pursue before the end of this summer transfer period as he might help them push for a top-half finish in the Premier League next season.
