Pep Guardiola speaks out on Kalvin Phillips future at Manchester City amid Everton transfer news
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola seems to have opened the door for Everton to make a January swoop for midfield target Kalvin Phillips.
The Spaniard, speaking in his Friday press conference (20 October) ahead of his side’s Premier League game against Brighton on Saturday (21 October) told journalists he doesn’t know if the “perfect” England international will be at the club when the January window opens.
iNews reported on 10 October that Phillips, 27, is set to leave the Etihad in the next transfer window with Everton and Newcastle among the clubs interested in the England international.
Phillips has struggled for game time with just three substitute appearances this season despite being allowed to leave in the summer.
Sussex Express reported on 10 October that the England international may well be allowed to leave in the January transfer window with West Ham United and Everton among the favourites to seal his signature.
And Guardiola speaking out on Kalvin Phillips’ comments during the week that he needs to be playing football to keep on starring for England, seemed to have opened the door for interested parties to make their move.
He said: “The transfer window is over, now we are here together. When we need a game with transitions or games with something with chaos Kalvin is perfect.
“When there is something you need to do, there are still one or two players who can do it better. That’s the simple reason. He will be here until winter. After, I don’t know what will happen because nobody knows once the window is open.”
Guardiola certainly didn’t definitively say that Phillips will leave the Etihad during the January window but he did throw a subtle hint as to what he thinks of him which has led to his limited role at the club, saying that he’s only perfect for transitional scenarios.
Phillips is a quality midfielder but is not offered the game time to prove it. His Manchester City career never took off and he’s been lost in the shuffle of their world-class midfield options.
Bringing in a player of Phillips’ quality – even if he has struggled to get a look-in at City – would be a big coup for Everton, especially considering the fact that Sean Dyche has desperately needed a specialist and reliable defensive midfielder for a long while.
The former Burnley boss has had to make do with Gueye in the role and while he’s proven a steady option at times, there are holes in his game which indicate that he is rapidly on the decline at Goodison Park.
Certainly, Phillips hasn’t played much for City but that should take away from his undeniable qualities in his position, it is the reason he consistently gets picked by Gareth Southgate for England and so regularly excels despite his limited minutes at club level.
The 27-year-old also provides a huge presence in front of the defence as well as his stark leadership qualities which could prove incredibly useful for Dyche and considerably increase the quality in his squad.
Whether or not Everton will be able to pull this move off with the likes of West Ham United and Newcastle also in the frame, is another matter entirely. But, Guardiola has left the door wide open for the Toffees to make an ambitious swoop.
In other Everton news, Simon Jordan admits he was “absolutely wrong” in a debate regarding the Toffees’ upcoming FFP case.