Manchester City are reportedly closing in on the signing of Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips, as per various reliable sources across the course of the past 24 hours.
Etihad officials were drawn into the transfer market for a new defensive midfielder following the exit of club captain Fernandinho, who departed following a nine-year spell with the current Premier League champions.
Despite the success and impressive performances of Rodri at the heart of Pep Guardiola's midfield, rotation is paramount especially given the sheer number of games that Manchester City will likely have to play during the 2022/23 season.
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As a result, City have now seemingly secured the services of Kalvin Phillips from the start of next season, and across the course of Friday, numerous reliable sources in football media have provided accurate details on the pending transfer.
David Ornstein, The Athletic
First reports of a deal between Manchester City and Leeds United for Kalvin Phillips emerged from David Ornstein just after 5:30PM (BST) on Friday evening.
The report highlighted that Phillips was now moving closer to a transfer to the Etihad Stadium, following 'positive discussions' between the two clubs over a transfer fee.
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Ornstein first reported that Manchester City are poised to pay an initial sum of £42 million, with potential bonuses valuing a further £3 million - keeping the overall valuation of a deal below the £50 million mark.
Regarding the timeframe of Manchester City's increased interest, The Athletic stated that the Premier League champions stepped up their interest after completing the signing of Erling Haaland.
As for Leeds, the Yorkshire-based club are claimed to have been 'increasingly resigned' to losing their midfield star since the early stages of the ongoing transfer window with Manchester City’s intentions 'becoming clearer'.
Finally, while Kalvin Phillips will obviously face intense competition from Rodri, The Athletic report that the player has been keen on joining Manchester City since their interest emerged.
Mike Keegan, Daily Mail
As part of a significant report concerning the future of Gabriel Jesus and an imminent switch to Arsenal, Mike Keegan offered additional details on Kalvin Phillips' future.
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The newspaper claims that the England international also had additional interest from other Premier League clubs and last week, Leeds United had received a call from Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain.
Much to the benefit of the Premier League champions, Mike Keegan reports that the only side Kalvin Phillips would entertain moving to from his hometown club was Manchester City - this according to the information of insiders.
Mark Douglas, The I
In an additional update regarding the timeframe for total completion of the deal in question, one line from Mark Douglas of The I newspaper states that Kalvin Phillips' move to Manchester City could be rubber-stamped as early as next week.
Fabrizio Romano
Further details then emerged from the man with his finger on the pulse of every transfer in the business.
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According to Fabrizio Romano speaking on his official YouTube channel, other Premier League clubs tried to explore a deal for Kalvin Phillips with proposals 'way better' than that of Manchester City's to Leeds United.
However, the player was clear, reports Romano; He only wanted to play for Pep Guardiola and City.
Additional reporting:
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Topics: Kalvin Phillips, England, Leeds United, Premier League, Manchester City, Manchester City Transfer News & Rumours, Football, Transfers