Aston Villa may have given up trying to sign Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips this summer, with Gregg Evans of The Athletic calling a deal ‘unlikely’. Steven Gerrard has been ambitious in the transfer market since being appointed manager, but many felt the 26-year-old was out of reach for many reasons.
Phillips wouldn’t have been cheap. Leeds United were requesting £50m for the England international, so Villa would need to break their transfer record to sign him. And given Phillips missed 19 games this season due to injury, it may have been a gamble sanctioning such an outlay.
There’s no guarantee he would have left Leeds for Villa either. Phillips had interest from Manchester City, so why would he pick the Midlands over the Premier League champions? The 26-year-old could earn more money at City and has a greater chance of success, so Villa can’t compete in the transfer market.
Phillips may regard Villa as a sideways move as there were only a few places between the two clubs in the Premier League this season. He said in May that he’s happy at Elland Road too, so it’s hard to see the 26-year-old ending a 12-year stay for a club that finished 14th.
