Pep Guardiola makes Man City transfer admission as Kalvin Phillips looks to quit

15 December 2023 , 23:45

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Pep Guardiola makes Man City transfer admission as Kalvin Phillips looks to quit

Manchester City will consider signing a new midfielder next month if Kalvin Phillips leaves the Etihad.

The England international is expected to quit the club in January, having made just two Premier League starts since joining from Leeds for £42million last year. City boss Pep Guardiola admitted earlier this month he cannot see Phillips forcing his way into the side and the 28-year-old has been linked with a number of clubs.

And if Phillips does leave, Guardiola has revealed City could dip into the transfer market and sign a replacement. "Kalvin is a player with us, I don't want to anticipate absolutely anything," he said when asked for an update on Phillips' future. "Everyone knows the situation he has. It depends if it happens. If it happens we talk. The market in January is not easy… We still have incredible things to play for, and after we decide.

"Right now I don't have anything in my mind. It depends if they leave or don't leave. Some players stay, some players leave. It depends on the squad, it depends on young players and if you can rely on them or not in some moments." City are set to host Crystal Palace later today, with the defending champions currently sitting four points behind league leaders Liverpool having picked up just one win in their last five games.

However, Guardiola remains confident in his side's title credentials. "In the last 12 games, we lost one," he added. "It's not bad. It's quite decent. We are used to a lot of games. It's different when you have a bad season, a bad season and don't win. Sometimes they say it's better not to win one season but the next one you will be better. Sometimes when you win, win, win, you know exactly what you have to do. You have the smell. You have the feeling.

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Kalvin Phillips could leave Manchester City next month (Getty Images)

"We know exactly what we have to do. How you have to behave. It also helps. If you win titles there can be the tendency to say 'okay' and believe you are something you are not, you go down. And the other point, I have the feeling that winning helps. Okay I know exactly what I have to do. How difficult it was. They know how difficult it was to win all the titles and they know exactly the standards we demand from ourselves to still be there because the teams in this country are getting better."

Matthew Cooper