West Ham Closing In On Manchester City Midfielder

West Ham United is almost certain to sign Kalvin Phillips of Manchester City on a season-long loan.

The Standard reports that West Ham is almost done with a loan agreement to sign Kalvin Phillips, a midfielder for Manchester City, till the conclusion of the campaign. This is a big accomplishment for David Moyes.

In order to prepare for England’s summer European Championship campaign, Phillips is looking for continuous playing time and is expected to leave the treble-winning Manchester City team. Interestingly, other teams like Newcastle, Barcelona, and Juventus have expressed interest in him.

Phillips’ Struggles At Manchester City

It’s still difficult for Kalvin Phillips to get a regular spot in Pep Guardiola’s Etihad team. This season, the English midfielder has only appeared in ten games across multiple competitions.

The 27-year-old has a limited influence in the Premier League since, despite his dedication, he is frequently sidelined. His meager playing time is evident by his league-leading numbers of 0.7 tackles, 0.3 interceptions, and 0.7 successful dribbles per game. However, his greatest strength is in midfield distribution, as evidenced by his remarkable 90% pass completion rate in the top flight of England (data sourced from whoscored).

Is He A Decent Fit For The Hammers?

When Phillips is regularly on the field, he can make important interceptions and exhibits proficiency in tackling. When called upon, he is not afraid to remove himself from danger and is an excellent passer.

Because of his versatility as a holding midfielder, Phillips can also play center defense or box-to-box midfield when needed. His skill set is further enhanced by his accurate and potent long-range shots.

Phillips will likely give David Moyes’ midfield more tenacity and ferocity, which West Ham should look forward to. He is in his peak right now at the age of 28, and if a loan agreement is finalized in January, he might have an instant impact at the London Stadium. The East London team ought to try to sign Phillips because he has the potential to have a big impact on their success this year.

On the other hand, Manchester City might think about selling Phillips to West Ham permanently at the end of the current campaign in order to raise the money needed and recruit a qualified midfield replacement.