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Carlton Palmer shares verdict on possible Kalvin Phillips return to Leeds United after transfer news emerge
Carlton Palmer believes Kalvin Phillips would not want to return to a Leeds United side in the Championship after several “nostalgic” links.
The former Elland Road forward, speaking to Football League World (17 October) believes that the Whites can’t afford to his salary even if the move was to happen but does believe that the England international should leave Manchester City.
The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards, recently claimed on BBC’s Football Gossip Daily show (11 October) that the £45m would favour a return to the club he left in the summer of 2022 if he leaves the treble-winners.
Phillips looks increasingly likely to depart Manchester in the new year with both Everton and Newcastle United interested [I News, 10 October] and Palmer believes the Whites’ plight in the Championship makes this potential transfer doubtful.
He said: “Kalvin Phillips has been linked with a nostalgic move back to Leeds United.
“I very much doubt this will happen, I’m not sure Kalvin would want to play in the Championship and Leeds would not be able to afford his salary in any event.
“I do believe Kalvin needs to move from Man City, I questioned the sense of the move at the time.
“15 games in two seasons and miraculously still retains his England spot, I understand the financials of the move but as a professional footballer, it’s about playing football.”
Nostalgic indeed
Most Leeds fans would jump at the chance of bringing Phillips back to Elland Road, but the England international is certainly unlikely to seek a drop to the Championship if he is to depart in January.
Despite his limited game time at the Etihad, the midfielder is still being picked by Gareth Southgate for England and there are increasing doubts about his future availability at international should he step down a level to the second division.
iNews claimed (10 October) that Newcastle and Everton are interested in his services for a January move, so Phillips could be heading away from Manchester soon.
A Premier League certainly looks the most likely and had the Whites remained in the division with all the wealth of the English top-flight available to them, it’s a return which you could well have bet your mortgage on.
At Leeds, he would certainly amass a huge amount of minutes and would be a massive boost for their promotion hopes but that thought seems impossible right now so Daniel Farke will have to make do with what he already has at this point.
In other Leeds United news, one Thorp Arch academy graduate may have to leave in January with his career now in serious jeopardy.