Former Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips has been on the move again this month.
Just 18 months on from his Elland Road exit, Phillips has left Manchester City to join West Ham United on loan for the rest of the season, in a bid to revitalise his career.
Phillips had taken the decision to leave his boyhood club in 2022 in order to further his career and although he was part of the treble winning side, it is a move that just has not worked out.
The 28-year-olds’ only two Premier League starts in the time he has been at City came after they were already crowned champions in May last season.
And it has now come to light in an article from the Athletic that the writing was on the wall for Phillips at City almost immediately after he joined, and before his first season had even started.
City staff saw Phillips concerns straight away
It is said that Pep Guardiola and his staff had concerns over Phillips’ ability to deal with the ‘intricacies of the holding midfielder role’ at City within the first month of pre-season.
In fact, they quickly realised that then-18-year-old Romeo Lavia would’ve been a better fit for the position, but he had been sold to Southampton just two days after Phillips’ move was confirmed.
Under Phillips’ own admission, he lost all of his confidence on the pitch at City and even called former Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa after a match last season, such was the nature of his struggles.
Despite how difficult his time at City has been, Phillips has no regrets over deciding to make the move, as he still believes he leaves a better player than what he went in.
Hopefully Phillips can re-find his form at West Ham ahead of a potentially big summer with England at the European Championships in Germany.
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