It has been a very tough season for Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips, who is seemingly touch and go at the moment to make England’s Euro 2024 squad – but an encouraging new report has now emerged.
Phillips left City to join West Ham United on loan in January, following a lack of minutes.
Phillips might have left last summer, but decided to stick around and fight for his place – a decision that looks like the wrong one now.
The star barely featured for City even when Rodri was suspended, and so, he departed on loan in January as was the expectation.
It’s been a very tough start for him at West Ham and he has just been revealed as the lowest-rated Premier League player so far.
He was recently not called up for the latest England squad, but the 28-year-old may take heart from one new report that has emerged…
Gareth Southgate was ‘desperate’ to call Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips up for latest England squad
ESPN have run a report today about Phillips and the struggles that have led to his exclusion from the latest England squad.
It is the first squad he has missed since September 2022 when he was unavailable due to a shoulder injury.
Phillips – who cost City £45 million – has historically been a favourite of Gareth Southgate, but the Three Lions boss admitted ahead of the latest friendlies that the midfielder’s form just hadn’t been good enough.
ESPN claim though that Southgate, privately, was actually ‘desperate’ to call him up. In the end, he just couldn’t justify it.
Encouragingly for Phillips though, it is reported that Southgate considers him ‘a positive influence on the squad and has a good character’.
Jude Bellingham could be key to Phillips’ England return
ESPN also touch on the chances of Phillips returning to the squad, and there is an interesting line about Jude Bellingham.
This season, the 20-year-old has been playing a very advanced role at Real Madrid, as a number 10 or even as a false nine.
Against Brazil and Belgium, Southgate deployed Bellingham as an attacking midfielder, and this is something that could ultimately help Phillips’ case.
Southgate and his England coaches are wary that, if they proceed to play Bellingham as a number 10, then ‘there aren’t many other players who can effectively partner Rice’ deeper in midfield.
Given how good Bellingham is in the 10 role, then Phillips certainly has reason to be optimistic. So he now needs to knuckle down and improve for West Ham, because Southgate is ready to recall him. He just needs to give him a good enough reason to.
