Neil Redfearn claims England int’l not in the ‘same ilk’ as standout Leeds ace
Neil Redfearn has claimed that Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips is already better than West Ham and England international Declan Rice.
The former Whites boss gave the midfielder his debut at Elland Road, and Marcelo Bielsa has transformed the 24-year-old into one of the best in the Championship.
Redfearn believes that Phillips should have been given international recognition and that there isn’t much competition in his way in Gareth Southgate’s squad.
Redfearn claimed that Phillips is the full package, and that he has everything needed to go to the very top in his career.
“The world is his oyster,” he told the Extra Time podcast.
“First of all, he is a beautiful build for a midfield player. He’s got a physical presence that people overlook sometimes. He can compete, he can break stuff up. In possession, his ability is second to none. His range of passing is fantastic, that’s something he has always had.”
“If you look at the midfield players he’s up against, someone like Rice. I’m not saying that he’s not a bad young player but to me, he’s not in the same ilk as Kalvin. I don’t think there’s any comparison, to be honest with you.”
Southgate has been at Elland Road this season to watch Phillips, and he surely has to have been impressed with what he has seen.
The Leeds enforcer has certainly jumped into the headlines ahead of Rice this season and has even become the most sought-after talent for top Premier League sides.
In terms of numbers on WhoScored, Rice actually averages more tackles, interceptions and clearances than Phillips, but that could be to do with the fact that West Ham spends most of their games against the ropes.
So, it is no surprise to see that Phillips completes more passes and considerably more key passes in games – he is much more important to Leeds, as for Redfearn’s claim? It is hard to tell until the 24-year-old is thrown into the deep end.
In other Leeds United news, ‘What a player’ – Ian Harte makes top-four PL claim on ‘outstanding’ Leeds ace