Man City join Liverpool in £60m transfer battle for Premier League star as Kalvin Phillips nears exit

It is being said that Manchester City is in the running to sign Joao Palhinha, a standout player for Fulham, while Kalvin Phillips is getting close to leaving the team.

Palhinha, 28, was on the verge of signing a contract to play with Harry Kane at Bayern Munich on the day of the transfer deadline. However, the deal fell through, and Palhinha had to fly to Germany for his medical.

The midfield player, who is still with Fulham, recently signed a massive new contract that would keep him there through 2028.

Palhinha is still being linked to a transfer abroad, though, and there are increasingly more suitors circling the Portuguese international.

The Sun claims that City would compete with Bayern and Liverpool for the signing of Palhinha, who is valued at approximately £60 million by the London-based team.

According to the source, England international Kalvin Phillips is expected to go soon to make room for Palhinha, who Pep Guardiola believes is the “perfect addition” to his City midfield.

After completing his move from Leeds in 2022, Phillips, 28, was strongly tipped to leave the Etihad Stadium this summer. Despite this, he stayed to attempt and compete for his position.

Palhinha’s deadline-day deal to Bayern fell through in part because Fulham was unable to find a suitable substitute in time. The agreement might benefit all parties involved if City agrees to release Phillips in return for Palhinha and a sizeable transfer fee.