Arsenal 'want Man City's Kalvin Phillips as top midfield target for January' (1 Viewer)

It's reported that Arsenal has set their sights on Manchester City's Kalvin Phillips as their top midfield target for the upcoming January transfer window. Phillips, who previously played for Leeds United, has struggled to establish himself at Manchester City since his arrival from Elland Road in 2022. He has made only 26 appearances for the club and has yet to score a goal or provide an assist.

Injuries and the impressive form of Rodri in the defensive midfield position have hindered Phillips' progress at Man City. He has played a mere 360 minutes of Premier League football across 15 top-flight matches for the treble-winning team, with just two starts towards the end of the 2022-23 season against Chelsea and Brentford.

Phillips briefly replaced the suspended Rodri in Man City's EFL Cup match against Newcastle United but ended up receiving a booking in a 1-0 defeat. Subsequently, he was benched in their 2-1 Premier League loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

With Matheus Nunes and Mateo Kovacic also available to manager Pep Guardiola, Phillips' chances of securing regular starts during Rodri's suspension appear limited. There were strong transfer rumors surrounding him over the summer, with West Ham United reportedly keen on acquiring him after selling Declan Rice to Arsenal. However, Phillips remains under contract at Man City until 2028.

Despite having recently acquired Declan Rice for a hefty fee of £105 million, reports suggest that Arsenal views Phillips as a key addition to bolster their midfield options midway through the season. Arsenal's head coach, Mikel Arteta, is said to be impressed by Phillips's versatility and sees him as a potential successor to Jorginho, whose contract is set to expire at the end of the season.

Furthermore, Arsenal faces potential midfield challenges as Thomas Partey is currently sidelined with a groin injury, and he is expected to represent Ghana at the Africa Cup of Nations in January. Mohamed Elneny's contract also has less than a year remaining.

Additionally, Kai Havertz, despite his £65 million move from Chelsea, has encountered difficulties adapting to a deeper midfield role. It's worth noting that Guardiola recently mentioned in a press conference that Phillips expressed his desire to remain at the club during the summer transfer window.

"The club spoke with him because he did not have many minutes. He said 'no, I want to stay'. We brought Kalvin here for his quality. He is open-minded, always wants to learn and wants to help. This is what we want to try to do," Guardiola revealed.

"I'd love to have done with Kalvin what Marcelo [Bielsa] has done to him. We have our own specific way to play and [he] sometimes struggles in a few things, while the previous [Leeds playing style] was perfect [for him]."

 

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It's reported that Arsenal has set their sights on Manchester City's Kalvin Phillips as their top midfield target for the upcoming January transfer window. Phillips, who previously played for Leeds United, has struggled to establish himself at Manchester City since his arrival from Elland Road in 2022. He has made only 26 appearances for the club and has yet to score a goal or provide an assist.

Injuries and the impressive form of Rodri in the defensive midfield position have hindered Phillips' progress at Man City. He has played a mere 360 minutes of Premier League football across 15 top-flight matches for the treble-winning team, with just two starts towards the end of the 2022-23 season against Chelsea and Brentford.

Phillips briefly replaced the suspended Rodri in Man City's EFL Cup match against Newcastle United but ended up receiving a booking in a 1-0 defeat. Subsequently, he was benched in their 2-1 Premier League loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

With Matheus Nunes and Mateo Kovacic also available to manager Pep Guardiola, Phillips' chances of securing regular starts during Rodri's suspension appear limited. There were strong transfer rumors surrounding him over the summer, with West Ham United reportedly keen on acquiring him after selling Declan Rice to Arsenal. However, Phillips remains under contract at Man City until 2028.

Despite having recently acquired Declan Rice for a hefty fee of £105 million, reports suggest that Arsenal views Phillips as a key addition to bolster their midfield options midway through the season. Arsenal's head coach, Mikel Arteta, is said to be impressed by Phillips's versatility and sees him as a potential successor to Jorginho, whose contract is set to expire at the end of the season.

Furthermore, Arsenal faces potential midfield challenges as Thomas Partey is currently sidelined with a groin injury, and he is expected to represent Ghana at the Africa Cup of Nations in January. Mohamed Elneny's contract also has less than a year remaining.

Additionally, Kai Havertz, despite his £65 million move from Chelsea, has encountered difficulties adapting to a deeper midfield role. It's worth noting that Guardiola recently mentioned in a press conference that Phillips expressed his desire to remain at the club during the summer transfer window.

Them just keep signing unnecessary player