Kalvin Phillips has joined Sheffield United on loan for the rest of the season but there remains no permanent end in sight to his Manchester City nightmare
Kalvin Phillips has completed a move to Sheffield United for the remainder of the season – but there is no obvious end in sight to his Manchester City nightmare.
The midfielder has joined the Blades on loan for the final months of their Championship campaign but there is no option or obligation to buy, meaning the 30-year-old will be back at the Etihad in the summer. And with a contract until 2028, Phillips will return to City still in limbo.
His career has stalled at the Etihad and he is not part of the first team plans under Pep Guardiola. The City boss did suggest ahead of the Carabao Cup tie with Huddersfield that the England international might be able to force his way into the matchday reckoning on a more regular basis.
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“He’s coming back, training with us and we will see what happens,” said Guardiola ahead of the third round clash when Phillips came off the bench in the closing stages. The prospect of the former Leeds man featuring regularly in City squads always seemed remote and he is now entering his third loan spell away from the Etihad in the last two years.
Phillips’ hope will be to impress at Sheffield United and prompt permanent interest from either Chris Wilder’s side or another club in the summer. It remains to be seen what interest will transpire but having signed a six-year deal when he arrived at City, Phillips is at the mercy of others if he is to resurrect his career.
He was signed for £45million by the Blues back in 2022 with the intention of supporting Rodri and strengthening a midfield that had just won the last two Premier League titles. However, illness and injury saw Phillips off to a bad start and he was then criticised by Guardiola for returning from a break after the World Cup ‘overweight’ in December 2022.
That further reduced his opportunities, and while he chose to stay and fight for his place the following season by January 2024 he was agreeing a loan move to West Ham. When they chose not to make the move permanent, Premier League newcomers Ipswich came in with a season-long loan.
Phillips underwent Achilles surgery in summer that stopped him from getting a move, and he was asked to play for City at Huddersfield in the Carabao Cup the day after his daughter was born.
Phillips had impressed at Leeds United prior to joining City and has made 31 appearances for England although the last of those came in 2023.