Alan Brazil and Trevor Sinclair suggest Leeds United star Kalvin Phillips could replace Declan Rice
Leeds United star Kalvin Phillips could be the replacement at West Ham following Declan Rice’s inevitable move away, say Alan Brazil and Trevor Sinclair.
The Hammers made a record bid for Whites midfielder during the January transfer window, which former England winger Sinclair believes was a pointless move that didn’t make sense.
But with speculation mounting every week about the captain at the London Stadium moving on in the summer, particularly following comments he made to Gary Neville on The Overlap about wanting to win trophies, the talkSPORT men mooted Phillips to fill the space he leaves.
In a discussion about Rice’s future on talkSPORT Breakfast on Friday (February 11, 08.30am), host Brazil said: “When they were talking about Kalvin Phillips coming to West Ham [in January] I didn’t see that as an addition, I saw that as a replacement.”
Ex-West Ham and QPR man Sinclair slated the move, saying: “It was lastminute.com as well though. It was never going to get over the line. He’s been injured all season, he’s not played enough football, and so late in the January transfer window I couldn’t see that ever getting over the line.
But went on to say: “It possibly could be someone they are looking at to replace him maybe in the summer.”
Never going to happen
Since the pair of central midfielders cemented their places in the England starting XI, and particularly since the run to the EURO 2020 final, both of them have been lined up for big-money moves repeatedly.
But while the West Ham man has spoken of his ambition, and has a well known past link to Chelsea, his Whites counterpart has is an Elland Road man through and through.
The Sun recently reported that the boyhood United supporter was happy that offers for him had been rejected and wanted a new contract to cement his position in Yorkshire.
The London bids for Phillips and Raphinha made little sense and had almost no chance of succeeding.
And although further bids may well come in following the season, it seems like the likelihood of the Brazilian moving is higher than the Englishman.
And for all their impressive for this season, the London Stadium would surely not be the destination for either, considering the lack of trophies that are apparently pushing their own England international out the door.
In other Leeds United news, Phil Hay has compared the club to the weekend opponents Everton as both clubs struggle this year.