Anton Ferdinand believes Kalvin Phillips could prove to be an excellent addition on loan when he officially puts pen to paper for West Ham United.
Michail Antonio claimed that the signing of the 28-year-old on loan could help David Moyes’ side climb up the Premier League table.
Newcastle United goalscorer Callum Wilson also hailed the former Leeds United midfielder as a “top-quality player” as he backed him to bolster a high-flying Hammers side.
What Anton Ferdinand said about Kalvin Phillips closing in on West Ham loan move
On Thursday, Fabrizio Romano revealed that despite being benched for most of his spell at Manchester City, the Englishman remained a top professional and had a positive relationship with Pep Guardiola.
It has been claimed that the treble-winner also said goodbye to all 100 members of City’s staff during the team’s flight back from Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, which emphasises the class he has maintained despite undergoing a difficult spell in his career.
As Kalvin Phillips edges closer to a loan move to West Ham, Anton Ferdinand is confident that he will thrive at the London Stadium.
“I think Kalvin Phillips has got to go into this midfield. If he comes back and he’s fit and he does what he’s supposed to do, what he did at Leeds, because at Leeds, he was a joke, playing in that [number] eight, box-to-box, showed that he had all sorts to his game”, he said on FIVE’s official YouTube channel.
Anton Ferdinand went on to hone in on the perceptions surrounding Kalvin Phillips in comparison to ex-West Ham midfielder Declan Rice a few years ago.
“People would argue that, I’m not just saying because Dec’s [Declan Rice] not here but people at that time would say he had more to his game than Declan Rice did. Obviously, Dec morphed into something special because he was consistent and played more and didn’t have the injuries.”
Ferdinand concluded, “But if we get the Kalvin Phillips that we saw at Leeds and for England in the Euros a few summers ago, there’s not a chance that he doesn’t start. [Of] Course he’s got to start! It’s Kalvin Phillips!”
Kalvin Phillips must try his best to start as many games as possible
As Anton Ferdinand makes several strong points about why Kalvin Phillips could succeed on loan at West Ham, it is also worth emphasising how key it is for him to consistently start for David Moyes’ side.
Unlike at Manchester City where one can understand why players can struggle to adapt, after having seen his reputation take a nosedive, it is high-time Phillips proves that he is at the required level to make the cut in East London.
If not, West Ham may choose not to exercise their option to buy Kalvin Phillips while a whole host of other clubs in the future may also be wary of getting anywhere near his signature.
