Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have reportedly expressed interest in signing Manchester City midfielder, Kalvin Phillips. The English midfielder's future is set to be decided next week due to his limited game time under Pep Guardiola.
According to reports, Barca and Atleti are among six clubs showing interest in Phillips. The 28-year-old midfielder joined Manchester City from Leeds United in July 2022 for a reported £42 million. Despite being one of the Premier League's most reliable midfielders during his tenure with the Peacocks, he has struggled to secure a regular spot under Guardiola at Manchester City.
Phillips hasn't started any league game this season and has made just ten appearances across all competitions with one goal scored. With four years left on his contract with the Cityzens, a departure seems likely as he seeks more playing time.
Phillips is also looking for exit to make case for Euro 2024
The lack of game time is particularly concerning for Phillips as he looks forward to participating in the European Championships with England this summer. To date, he has earned 31 caps under Gareth Southgate and remains an integral part of the England squad.
Barcelona finds itself dealing with a midfield injury crisis that could potentially benefit Phillips' prospects at Camp Nou. Gavi is currently ruled out for the rest of the season due to an ACL injury while summer signing Oriol Romeu has failed to impress after joining from Girona.
Barca may be behind Atletico due to financial limitations
Barca faces financial constraints that may hinder their ability to secure transfers easily. They are grappling with significant debt reduction without resorting to financial levers which puts them in a challenging position regarding player acquisitions.
On contrastingly solid financial footing stands Atletico Madrid who should face no such problem affording a deal for Phillips. Valued at €28 million by Transfermarkt, Phillips could be an attractive prospect for Diego Simeone who might be looking to bolster his midfield with a potential long-term replacement for 32-year-old Koke.
The race to sign Kalvin Phillips is heating up with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid leading the charge. The English midfielder's future at Manchester City remains uncertain, but it's clear that he won't be short of options should he decide to depart from the Premier League champions.
