Unfortunately, the proposed transfer of Palhinha to the Allianz Arena fell through at the last minute, and he subsequently signed a new long-term contract with Fulham. Bayern Munich still considers Palhinha as their primary midfield target for the upcoming January transfer window but is keeping an eye on several alternative options.
As reported by 90min, Bayern Munich has now identified Kalvin Phillips as a potential alternative to Palhinha and has initiated contact with Manchester City to assess his current status with the club. The report also notes that Thomas Tuchel holds Phillips in high regard and was impressed by the midfielder's performances during his time with his former club, Leeds United.
Kalvin Phillips departed from his beloved club, Leeds, in the summer of 2022 after seven years with the first team. He made the move to Manchester City with hopes of establishing himself as a regular player under Pep Guardiola. However, despite making 26 appearances for Manchester City, the 27-year-old has started in only five of those matches across all competitions. He was in the starting lineup for just one of the club's first 13 matches of the new season.
While Rodri is the undisputed first-choice holding midfielder at Manchester City, Phillips has slipped down the pecking order behind the likes of summer signing Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes.
Additionally, even 18-year-old full-back Rico Lewis and Bernardo Silva have been deployed in deeper midfield roles ahead of Phillips. Despite having five years remaining on his contract with Manchester City, Phillips is reportedly considering a move away from the club in search of regular first-team opportunities.
However, a recent report suggests that Manchester City is only open to parting ways with Phillips if they can recoup a significant portion of the £45 million they spent on acquiring him just 15 months ago.
Speaking to Channel 4 after starting in England's 3-1 victory over Italy in Euro 2024 qualifying on Tuesday, Kalvin Phillips said,
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