‘It is true’… Journalist shares what Leeds United source told him about Kalvin Phillips

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Kalvin Phillips has made a dismal start to his loan spell at West Ham United after a struggle since his move to Manchester City from Leeds United – with a lack of game time a main reason for his exit.

Phillips, 28, has since gone to West Ham after winning numerous trophies with City – but a spell marred by injury and warming the bench. He was to blame, or partly, for Bournemouth’s goal in a 1-1 draw.

Then, dropped by David Moyes against Manchester United, he came on and lost possession for a third goal in a 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford. His third outing was coming on at half-time in a 6-0 loss to Arsenal.

His performances are a long way away from the Phillips that sparkled for Leeds in the Premier League, and England at Euro 2020. Weight has also come under scrutiny, Pep Guardiola publicly criticising him.

Daily Mail reporter Ian Ladyman told the It’s All Kicking Off podcast this week that a source at Leeds had told him Phillips was overweight at Leeds, and the relationship between Guardiola and Marcelo Bielsa.

“What I do know is that it’s not the first time it’s happened to Kalvin Phillips. It happened to him when he came home from playing in the Euros, when England got to the final in the summer of 2021, when he came back to Leeds he was a little bit overweight. Someone at Leeds told me,” Ladyman said on Phillips.

“Now Marcelo Bielsa the manager at Leeds did not make a public deal of it at the time, but it is true. Now Guardiola and Bielsa are thick as thieves. Guardiola sees Bielsa as a mentor. They got weighed every day at Leeds. I can’t think for one minute that Bielsa wouldn’t have told him about that and warned.”

Kalvin Phillips was overweight at Leeds under Marcelo Bielsa

Phillips is renowned for always being a kilo or two heavier than required. A player that is simply built like that. We aren’t talking overweight in the grand scheme of things, but to be a professional footballer.

Fine margins, and nothing Phillips has not then gone and worked on and changed. In terms of his fitness right now, it is not a case of weight but more one of getting minutes and match sharpness back on loan.

To go 18 months and feeding off scraps at City, Phillips needs to realise that it is going to take time to return to his best. It is not going to be a simple, and quick process. It takes time, but he has the stage.