Manchester City are familiar when it comes to signing players from fellow English clubs.
For example, City have signed the likes of Jack Grealish, Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes from various clubs across the country.
This tactic has proved to be rather successful for the Manchester club as they have become the first side to win four consecutive Premier League trophies and are now on the hunt for a fifth.
Despite that, a pundit who knows what it takes to play for City has now made a claim regarding another player the Blues signed from another English club who hasn’t had a particularly positive time at the Etihad Stadium.
- Who is Kalvin Phillips? Get to know the midfielder who could leave Man City in the transfer window
Nedum Onuoha shares one reason why Kalvin Phillips hasn’t succeeded at Man City
Appearing in a recent video shared on the ESPN FC YouTube channel, Nedum Onuoha said this about Kalvin Phillips when asked if he thinks the recent injury Rodri picked up against Arsenal could make the Gunners the best-suited side to take the title away from City this season.
He said: “Not necessarily, obviously there’s a bit of nuance in that and you are right in calling me out for saying that I thought Arsenal were going to win the league at the start of the season, but in recent weeks they’ve shown some solidity but I still feel there’s missing something in terms of attack.
“But for Rodri being missing, this is a huge blow for Man City, he’s been their most important player you could argue for the last couple of seasons so much so that he’s in contention and he will probably win the Ballon d’Or.
“So yes, losing someone of that sort of ability is massive. He’s one of the reasons why Kalvin Phillips didn’t fit in, one of the reasons why other players haven’t really had the opportunity.
“He’s been pivotal, he’s been the best in his position in my opinion for the last year, 18 months. I mean not least of all look at Spain where he was player of the tournament in the Euros in the summer.
“So yes, I think this is a big boost for the likes of Arsenal the likes of Liverpool.
“For Man City, I think they’ll obviously try and make do without him but I think when you look at the way that he plays and his importance to that side, he’s not really replaceable.
“You just have to do things a bit differently and who knows whether that differently will provide them with the opportunity to be as successful as they have been in recent years.”
Rodri is miles ahead of Phillips
City paid £45m to sign Phillips from Leeds United back in the 2022 summer transfer window.
After making just 31 appearances for the Blues, six of which he started, the midfielder was loaned out to West Ham United during the previous January transfer window.
Following this move, Hammers striker Michail Antonio claimed that Phillips struggled with his confidence during his time at West Ham.
The Englishman then joined Ipswich Town on a season-long loan back in August, where he has since made three appearances across the Premier League and Carabao Cup.
With Rodri, who City paid £62.5m to sign back in 2019, being such a prominent and important figure for the Blues by featuring in at least 33 Premier League games in every campaign he’s appeared in so far, it’s easy to see why Onuoha has claimed that the Spaniard’s presence is a reason why regular game time was hard for Phillips to get.
Bearing in mind how Rodri is one of the favourites to win the 2024 Ballon d’Or after coming fifth in the previous rankings, this highlights how difficult it was for Phillips to get a regular role in the City side with him there.
