Gabby Agbonlahor has urged Kalvin Phillips to leave Manchester City in January and join Newcastle United, a team he would ‘walk into’.
Phillips has once again really struggled for minutes at the Etihad Stadium this season, making just eight appearances across all competitions so far for 215 minutes of game time.
Pep Guardiola has again shown a lack of faith in the England international, even when Rodri was suspended earlier this season.
The Spaniard got a red card against Nottingham Forest and missed three matches. Phillips was handed just one start against Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup, but failed to take his chance.
There has been more and more noise in recent weeks about Phillips and his immediate future – and now Agbonlahhor has strongly urged him to move on in January…
Gabby Agbonlahor urges Kalvin Phillips to leave Manchester City for Newcastle
This morning, Phillips was mentioned on talkSPORT by pundit Gabby Agbonlahor as a player that really needed to leave.
He said: “This is the biggest one in the Premier League, he has to go. For the sake of his career. 27 years old, should be playing the best football of his career, outstanding at Leeds. He’s only made 16 appearances for City, that’s not enough.
“When you’ve got a player like Rodri who’s never injured, never really gets sent off apart from the one he got a few weeks ago – he’s going to play most of the games, Pep’s shown that he doesn’t trust Phillips
“Let’s get this done, get him to Newcastle, they’ve lost Tonali. He walks straight into that Newcastle team and fits that defensive midfield role at Newcastle.”
Phillips absolutely must go
There is no doubt about it – Phillips has to leave City in the next window for the good of his career.
Him staying at the club in the summer to fight for his place was admirable, but it has been clear to see that there is no danger of him playing over Rodri and it’s unlikely he will play regularly.
The £150,000-a-week star needs to depart because he’s now in a situation where his England place could be under threat.
Over the international break, Phillips only got a short cameo against Malta from Gareth Southgate, who then didn’t play him against North Macedonia, something Joe Cole felt was a message from the manager.
If he wants to avoid a potential scenario of him missing out on Euro 2024, then Phillips must find a new club in January.
Fabrizio Romano has suggested it is very likely he will go, and hopefully it will work out for him wherever he goes.
