MOT View: £20,000-a-wk Leeds player delivers big transfer boost with latest comments
Kalvin Phillips has handed a major boost to Leeds United by declaring that he wants to spend the rest of his career at Elland Road.
Phillips, 24, has been one of the stand-out players in the Championship this season and the defensive midfielder has deservedly been tipped to play for England in the future.
If the European Championships hadn’t been postponed until 2020, it wouldn’t have been a big shock to see the Leeds midfielder named in Gareth Southgate’s squad based on how well he’s performed in the second-tier under Marcelo Bielsa.
As well as being tipped to play for England, Phillips has also been linked with a move to the Premier League.
The Sun has reported that Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho is one top-flight manager who has been keeping tabs on the Leeds-born ace, who also attracted attention from Aston Villa and Burnley last summer before penning a new £20,000-a-week deal at Elland Road [Mail].
Now, in an interview with FourFourTwo magazine, Phillips has all but snubbed interest from the Premier League by committing his future to the Whites.
“I want to spend my career at Leeds and see the club doing well in the Premier League,” Phillips told FourFourTwo in their April edition, as quoted by the Sun.
“I’m just enjoying every minute right now.”
Phillips’ comments come as a major boost for Leeds fans who have been worried about losing their talented midfielder.
According to stats by WhoScored, Phillips averages more long-range passes [5.3] and more tackles [2.8] per league game than any of his team-mates at Elland Road.
Phillips is a midfielder who can do a bit of everything and can really make Leeds tick when he is on form.
Before coronavirus brought football to a halt earlier this month, Leeds’ five-match winning streak was largely down to Phillips’ return from suspension.
If there’s one player who Leeds need to keep if they go up, it’s Phillips.
He is Premier League – and England – quality.
In other Leeds United news, Leeds are in talks about a major behind-the-scenes upgrade.