Kalvin Phillips is on the verge of securing a new loan move to Sheffield United, having been left out of Manchester City's squad for their upcoming Asia tour. Chris Wilder, manager of Sheffield United, has expressed interest in re-signing the 30-year-old midfielder, who has two years remaining on his contract with City.
Phillips experienced a challenging loan spell with Sheffield United last season, making only three appearances and receiving a red card in his final game for the club during the Steel City derby against Sheffield Wednesday. Since his £42 million transfer from Leeds United to Manchester City, Phillips has struggled to make a significant impact. His lack of consistent playing time in recent seasons has led to a shortage of match sharpness, impacting his physical readiness.
Including his previous loan stints, Phillips has accumulated 46 league appearances since joining Manchester City nearly four years ago. Wilder previously indicated his desire to keep Phillips, stating, "He'll have a lot of people still after him. We've brought a really good pro in. He was unlucky with his injury and he's not played as much as he wanted to play." He added, "I spoke to him and said we'd love to be an option for you, your agent and your parent club if that is a possibility. He certainly ticks the box in terms of personality and characteristics, off the pitch and on it. If there's an opportunity I'm sure we'll try and explore that one."
In other team news, Jack Grealish has also been omitted from City's pre-season tour as he continues his rehabilitation from an injury. Grealish had joined Everton on loan last season, starting strongly with two goals and six assists before a stress fracture in January required surgery, ending his season and World Cup aspirations. He has since returned to Manchester City and is working on his recovery.
Interest in Grealish has emerged from Saudi Arabia, and Everton is also aware of his situation, though a decision on his future is not expected until later in the transfer window.
Additionally, Savinho is reportedly seeking a move to Tottenham Hotspur. However, Manchester City maintains that their valuation of the player has not been met and they would require a replacement before sanctioning his departure. The club has reportedly considered players such as Ibrahim Mbaye from PSG and Pedro Neto from Chelsea as potential winger additions.