Jermaine Beckford makes prediction on Kalvin Phillips’ Leeds United future
Leeds United will need to “make plans” for how to cope with losing Kalvin Phillips sooner or later according to former Whites forward Jermaine Beckford.
The star midfielder has been the subject of considerable transfer speculation in recent weeks, and despite the player telling BBC Radio Leeds he wants to be at the club, BBC and Sky pundit Beckford believes it depends on Premier League survival.
Even if Jesse Marsch keeps the club up he expects there to be a decision on an exit after a season or so, and with how important a player the 26-year-old is to the set up at Elland Road they will need to be prepared when it does.
The ex-United striker told The Mirror: “For me, Kalvin’s future comes down to whether Leeds are in the Premier League next season – as long as they are – I can’t see a reason for him to leave – just yet.
“He’s in the national team, he’s playing in the Premier League for a team he loves and for a team where he is loved.
“Let’s be fair, this is only his second season at this level and he has not completed a full campaign through injury. Financially, he’s on a decent deal and I understand there are discussions to extend that.
“Ultimately, there will come a point where he has a decision to make, particularly if he wants to play Champions League football.
“But if he is progressing and Leeds are, then I think he will stay for one more season at least. That will give the club time to grow and possibly make plans because how would Leeds cope with that loss?”
Inevitable?
The boyhood United fan provided his position this week, although he didn’t go into depth enough for there not to be room to manoeuvre.
There seems to be little logical prospect of an international star playing in the Championship for any extended period, although not impossible.
So, as if it wasn’t already clear for any number of other reasons, top flight status for next year is crucial.
How long the club can keep hold of the fan-favourite after that will depend on how he and United are performing at the time.
There is an assumption with every high level player that they will want to be in the Champions League at some point.
Without a major upturn in fortunes the prospects of that happening with the Whites seems remote.
But not every player gets to be central to the club they grew up supporting, so if a satisfactory agreement can be reached on a new contract in the summer he may value his status at the club higher than European football.
It isn’t a stretch to assume that Phillips’ would like to play at that level, and that he would like to be paid more, but also values the club and the fans enough that it causes an internal conflict.
He can’t be blamed for that, and his long-term future at Elland Road will remain a question for as long as those factors don’t all reconcile.
In other Leeds United news, criticism from a Premier League legend helped contribute to a January exit from the club that affected the player mentally.