Guardiola admission sums up Phillips' time at Man City ahead of West Ham move
Pep Guardiola has admitted he feels it is unlikely that Manchester City bother replacing Kalvin Phillips, who is on the verge of joining West Ham on loan.
Phillips parted ways with Leeds in the summer of 2022 to join the reigning Premier League champions, who forked out £45million for his services. However, it has since turned out to be one of the most disappointing transfers in City's recent history, with the England international rarely making a meaningful contribution during his debut season at the club.
He managed just 21 appearances across all competitions last term, though only three of those actually saw Phillips last the full 90 minutes. This season he's found first-team football just as hard to come by, which is why he's upping sticks to east London to try and revive his career with the Hammers.
As brutal as it sounds, Phillips' contribution at the Etihad was minimal enough that Guardiola feels he doesn't even need to sign someone to vacate the space he'll leave. “I don’t think we will replace Kalvin”, the City boss told reporters ahead of Friday's FA Cup showdown with Tottenham.
Guardiola did go on to add that he wishes the midfielder well, claiming: "He travelled yesterday to make a medical test, but it is not completely done. It is going to be a loan for six months and hopefully, he can play the minutes he deserves and I couldn’t give to him.
Chelsea complete record-breaking Enzo Fernandez transfer after deadline day rush
"I wish him well. I said many times, he is [both] an exceptional human being and a football player otherwise he wouldn’t be in the national team."
The City boss conceded he wished he could have offered Phillips more game time, adding: "If I give him 10-15 games in a row he would play good I didn’t give it to him. I feel so responsible for that.
Will Phillips be a successful signing for West Ham? Have your say in the comments section
Kalvin Phillips has underwhelmed at Manchester City since his arrival in 2022"But at the same time, I am honest with myself, [with] the squad you have to decide what you are looking for, for different things. I can say how grateful I am for his behaviour on and off the pitch for many, many situations."
At the start of the January window, Juventus seemed like the most likely destination for Phillips. However, West Ham ramped up their interest and are now expected to confirm the six-month loan switch imminently.
The 28-year-old will be aiming to play his way back into the England fold and ensure he is part of the squad Gareth Southgate selects for the upcoming European Championships in the summer.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
