Kalvin Phillips made top midfield target at Newcastle United, ‘massive problem’ for Leeds United
Leeds United really do have a big problem on their hands ahead of the summer transfer window.
While it looks increasingly likely that Jesse Marsch will be able to lead his side to Premier League safety this season, there’s still that fear that Elland Road will be raided for top talent before the next term starts.
Raphinha has been strongly linked with Barcelona with his agent Deco reportedly in advanced talks with Barcelona [Fabrizio Romano] and Newcastle United are now emerging as strong contenders to sign midfield star Kalvin Phillips.
The Mirror reported via their print edition today [6 April, page 57] that Phillips, 26, is a top midfield target for Newcastle as they look to splash the cash in the summer.
Newcastle’s Saudi takeover means they’ll be big players in the summer and it looks increasingly likely that Phillips will, at the very least, be the subject of a lot of bids once the transfer window reopens.
Leeds will hold all the cards in the summer.
Phillips will still have another two years left on his contract at Elland Road so the Whites won’t be held to ransom by a Premier League team that’s going through a rebuild and hasn’t done too well in recent years.
However, one major issue is his wages.
The Times reported on 30 January, as West Ham made a move for Phillips, that the injury-prone England international earns just £25,000-a-week (£1.3million-a-year) at Leeds United.
You could argue that figure is just a fraction of what the Yorkshire Pirlo should actually be getting paid.
Writing for The Mirror on 4 April, Simon Bird reported that Phillips’ low wages are a “massive problem for Leeds”.
He’s right.
Phillips is a Leeds lad through and through but he’s probably done all he can do at Elland Road because right now, we don’t see a team that’s ready to push for European places.
We’ve been battling against relegation this season and haven’t got the richest owners in world football.
Newcastle have.
Phillips can realise his dreams at St James’ Park – or at the very least come closer to achieving them than he can at Elland Road.
We don’t want Phillips to go. He’s a generational talent and will be almost impossible to replace in the summer if he’s sold.
However, we have to brace ourselves for the fact that he and Raphinha could both go in the summer.
And that would be an absolute nightmare based on Victor Orta’s latest recruitment record.
In other Leeds United news, this Whites star faces being thrown under the bus by Marsch after major news broke on Monday.