Liverpool suffered a series of injuries at center back during the 2020-21 season. While Fabinho and Jordan Henderson temporarily came in, young defenders Nathaniel Phillips and Rhys Williams filled the void and helped the team finish third in the Premier League.
Nathaniel Phillips, the savior of the season, has hardly played a game since the mainstay of the team returned from injury. He was linked with a move away from the club, but never materialized, and in the second half of 2021-22 season he joined Bournemouth for a six-month loan spell.
At the time, he was also linked with a move to Bournemouth, who had won promotion to the Premier League, but he remained at Anfield as the fifth choice center back.
While the possibility of his leaving the club this summer is on the rise, The Athletic reported that Leeds United, who will be playing in the Championship next season, have expressed interest.
With only five first-team appearances and 344 minutes of playing time last season, Anfield is not an ideal place for the 26-year-old. Liverpool are not willing to give up the player on the cheap, and are expected to demand £10 million for him.
The club is also working to secure a left-handed center back in this summer’s transfer window, and if they are successful in landing the player, they will be overstocked in the backline; having been a handyman for the team since joining in 2016, it is time for him to settle down at a club where he can play on a regular basis.
After being relegated from the top flight, Leeds is expected to see the departure of key players such as Robin Koch and must have a group of players who can make do within a shrinking budget.
Furthermore, with the club aiming for a return to the Premier League within a year, Phillips, who has experienced promotion in the past, even if only for a half year, could be a reliable asset.
Will the former Bolton defender get a place to play every week?