Why Tottenham should beat Liverpool in the race for Kalvin Phillips

According to The Mirror (h/t Daily Mail), Tottenham and Liverpool are set to go head-to-head in a transfer tug of war over £50million-rated Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips.

The 24-year-old’s brilliant start to life in the Premier League, as well as his superb introduction to the England international set-up, has put Jose Mourinho and Jurgen Klopp on red alert, with both clubs on the lookout for options to freshen up their midfield. (Mirror h/t Daily Mail)

Phillips put pen to paper on a five-year deal worth £30,000-a-week at Elland Road last year, but as per the report, both Liverpool and Tottenham could well offer him more than double his current wage package in West Yorkshire.

Profile

Kalvin Phillips spent seven years in the youth ranks of local club Wortley before joining Leeds United’s academy in 2010. He caught the eye across youth levels before making his senior professional debut for the Whites in the Championship during the 2014-15 season.

The 24-year-old gradually established himself as one of the mainstays of Leeds’ midfield over the next few years and carved out a reputation for himself as one of the best central midfielders in the English second-tier.

Phillips played a key role as the Whites won the Championship title under Marcelo Bielsa’s stewardship last term to secure a return to the Premier League for the first time since 2003-04.

Phillips has continued to be an indispensable cog in Bielsa’s midfield in the top-flight, starting all four fixtures so far. The Whites’ graduate has made 185 appearances for his boyhood club in all competitions, registering 12 goals and 11 assists in the process.

He made his senior England debut against Denmark in the UEFA Nations League back in September and currently has 3 international caps under his belt.

Phillips would be a brilliant addition to Tottenham’s midfield

Tottenham roped in Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from Southampton to address their issues in the middle of the park during the summer window. The Dane has quickly established himself as a regular starter in North London this season, adding some much-needed stability to the club’s midfield unit. 

However, it wouldn’t be a massive surprise if Spurs opt to go back in the market for a new holding midfielder in January or next summer. Moussa Sissoko is not getting any younger at 32 while club-record signing from last summer, Tanguy Ndombele, has struggled to live up to the expectations.

Furthermore, it has been clear from Mourinho’s team selection that he regards Eric Dier as a central defender rather than a holding midfielder. Irrespective of whether Tanguy Ndombele establishes himself in Mourinho’s set-up, Tottenham would be smart to sign a central midfielder.

Kalvin Phillips, to that end, would be an excellent addition to Tottenham’s ranks. The 24-year-old is capable of switching between holding and box-to-box roles in the middle of the park, while he also boasts of the versatility to do a job as a centre-back. Hence, a potential deal for Phillips would offer Mourinho with some quality cover in multiple areas of the pitch.

Widely regarded as a deep-lying playmaker, Phillips could well be the ideal player to complement a more defensive-minded Harry Winks at the base of Tottenham’s midfield.

Phillips has registered a total of 9 key passes in 4 Premier League outings so far this season, while Winks is way behind in that metric with just 1 key pass. That clearly portrays the Leeds graduate as a dynamic midfielder capable of contributing equally at both ends of the pitch.

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Verdict

Kalvin Phillips has already started to show his quality in the Premier League and with his best years still ahead of him, the 24-year-old would undoubtedly be a coup for Tottenham. The touted £50million price tag is definitely not too much when you consider the range of qualities that he offers.

All in all, Tottenham should go all out in their pursuit of the England international in January or next summer to add some real quality to their midfield.