Kalvin Phillips makes Leeds United transfer admission after Ipswich Town move
Kalvin Phillips admits he wasn’t guaranteed to re-sign for Leeds United if they were promoted to the Premier League last season.
Speaking to the East Anglian Daily Times (21 November), Phillips said that choosing between the Whites and Ipswich Town, who he did join on loan from Manchester City, would have been a “very close call”.
Phillips departed Elland Road for the Etihad Stadium in 2022 but has since made loan moves to West Ham and now Ipswich, with Leeds’ failure to win promotion last season ruling them out of the running.
He said: “I was devastated they didn’t go up – obviously I wanted Leeds to get promoted. It’s a club very close to my heart.
“Even if Leeds had been promoted and Ipswich had maybe come up in the play-offs; it still would have been a very close call as to where I’d have gone, because I just love the story of Ipswich.
“During the period where a few teams were showing interest, Leif (Davis) was giving me a FaceTime every other day – it was a funny time, but it all worked out in the end.”
Kalvin Phillips will be hoping for Leeds United promotion
As a lifelong Leeds fan and native of the city, it’s no surprise that Phillips wants to see the Peacocks back in the Premier League, but his desire for them to win promotion will likely be two-pronged.
Not only will a return to the top-flight help United to finally realise their potential as one of English football’s sleeping giants, it could also provide a path for the 28-year-old to re-ignite his career.
While Phillips’ interview suggests that all is rosy at Portman Road, his performances so far suggest otherwise, with a red card costing the Tractor Boys three points against Leicester City earlier this month.
His half-season spell at West Ham, having made next to no impact for Manchester City, didn’t go much better, and a return to Elland Road could be exactly what the midfielder needs to get back to his best.
It’s undeniable that Phillips’ emergence as a leading player for club and country came with a resurgent Leeds side, and if those two paths converge again, a homecoming may be perfect for both parties.
In other Leeds news, Phillips isn’t the only ex-Whites midfielder to have discussed his exit from Elland Road in recent days.
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