Kalvin Phillips has not had a particularly positive time as a Manchester City player.
Even though he was part of the Treble-winning squad, the midfielder only started four of the 21 games he appeared in during his debut season at the Etihad Stadium.
After that, the Englishman was then loaned out to West Ham United in the previous January transfer window having failed to work his way into Pep Guardiola’s team.
During his time at the East London club, Phillips struggled with injury issues and problems on and off the pitch, resulting in him starting just three of the eight Premier League games he appeared in for the Hammers.
With a new season approaching, the 28-year-old has found himself being the topic of discussion, with one former West Ham coach shedding some light on the difficulties Phillips had to deal with in his loan spell.
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Kevin Nolan shares details on Kalvin Phillips’ ‘difficult’ West Ham loan spell
He said: “We put him in right way because we thought get him in there, just play and just get going.
“It just didn’t work out and to be fair to him, he’s such a lovely lad and you want him to do well. So we were there and we were still going and giving him the support he needed.
“I think what he realised in them early months and then come back to the end was that he missed a lot of football and it was difficult to get back to that level so quickly.
“It’s great to see that he got a run out last night and hopefully he’ll get on the back of a good pre-season, he’ll get a nice move away because that’s what’s been heard about and I feel given the support and going to the right club [will help].
Nolan then said this when asked if he thinks working with Sean Dyche at Everton, who have been linked with a move for the midfielder this summer, would be good for Phillips.
He said: “He’s someone who I think is going to give him the support he needs. He’s got a really good backroom staff so them being around them will help him.
“He’ll be at home which was a major thing [for[ him coming down to London. He just had a baby because everyone forgets about all them little bits when we’re moving here there and everywhere and our wives and kids are going off to another place while we get them set or they’re looking at our houses and to come and try and bed in when his missus has just had the baby and stuff like that.
“It was a difficult time for him off the field as well as on so I feel this hopefully and I really do, fingers crossed and everything that he gets the opportunity to go to a club, put himself in the way of his fit, he’s ready, he’s on the level with all the lads.
“He’s not doing it for anybody else but himself, but it’s sort of an ‘I’ll show you.’ I think it’s for himself more than anything as well.
“But yeah, as I said and he’s definitely got the ability because you could see it, he’s a Man City player. I truly hope that he gets back to where he was them couple of years ago and I’ve got no doubt once he does that England squad place will come back.”
Phillips’ West Ham move didn’t work out for him
The midfielder’s performances for the Hammers earned him a rather poor season rating of 5.89/10 from WhoScored, making him the lowest-rated player in the West Ham squad for the last season.
Back in April, West Ham striker Michail Antonio said that Phillips struggled with his confidence which didn’t help his performances.
Now that Nolan has highlighted how difficult the City man found it at the London Stadium, this further highlights the struggles Phillips has been through over the past few months.
With Nolan also mentioning how Everton could be a suitable move for the Englishman this summer, the ideal scenario for all parties, in our view, would be if Phillips were to join a side where he’d be able to play regularly and build his confidence up again.
