Kalvin Phillips ‘determined’ to remain at Leeds United amid contract delays
Leeds United star Kalvin Phillips is “more open than ever” to remaining at the club and wants the issue sorted before the summer, The Sun reports.
The England star was subject to a big-money transfer approach from West Ham in the January transfer window, and will reportedly be a key target of Aston Villa (Times) and Manchester United (Manchester Evening News) after the season.
A new contract has been in the offing for most of the season, but has so far yet to materialise, with The Telegraph reporting that talks have “stalled”, and the Daily Mail saying the delay is due to the player changing agents in the summer.
Phillips earns less than might be expected for a player of his calibre – £38,000-per-week according to this report – but is apparently happy at the club.
The Sun says: “It is expected that he would be given a huge pay rise to warn off any potential suitors.
“And Phillips is more open to staying at Elland Road than ever.
“The Yorkshire Pirlo is happy to be back in the first team fold again after an injury-hit campaign.
“He also feels positive about Leeds’ future following the appointment of Jesse Marsch.
“Training sessions have been enjoyable, and he is confident the club will push on and avoid relegation after a run of decent results.
“Phillips is determined to commit to his boyhood side before the summer to end any speculation about his future.”
Left hanging
It surely should be the one of the easiest negotiations that the club has had to conduct in years.
The 26-year-old is a crucial member of the squad, as his absence made clearer than ever.
He is a lifelong Whites fan and he wants to stay, and the club want to keep him.
It should have all been sewn up months ago, so if negotiations have been happening it suggests the player and his agent is asking too much or the club are trying to lowball him.
Considering the relationship between the two parties both of those feel unlikely, although not impossible.
Surely the key factor in this situation currently is relegation, which while now looking remote is not entirely off the table.
Were the wheels to come off and the club to drop into the Championship then Phillips would probably want to leave, whatever his personal affiliation.
So getting the points on the board to secure survival as soon as possible should facilitate this deal being closed.
In other Leeds United news, the Sky TV director for the Watford game asked another Whites star to stay amid transfer speculation.