Cardiff City goalkeeper Dillon Phillips has joined Belgian outfit KV Oostende on a season-long loan deal.
The Bluebirds recruited Jak Alnwick and Ryan Allsop this summer, meaning there were three senior goalkeepers as well as Rohan Luthra all vying for a spot in Steve Morison's matchday squad come the start of the campaign.
New goalkeeping coach Graham Stack has been brought in and has been allowed to run the rule over his three senior options, in the knowledge that having all three of them there at the start of the campaign was not viable.
And it appears Phillips is the fall guy, moving across the continent to play in Belgium for the season.
In a statement, the club said: "Cardiff City can confirm that Dillon Phillips has joined Belgian First Division A side KV Oostende on loan for the 2022/23 campaign.
"The goalkeeper made 17 Championship appearances for the Bluebirds last term, having joined the club in 2020 from Charlton Athletic. We’d like to wish Dillon all the very best while at the Diaz Arena."
Oostende also confirmed they have inserted a purchase option in the agreement, while president Gauthier Ganaye said: "Dillon is an interesting profile that we have been following for a long time. He plays football well and is a real 'shot stopper', in other words he has very strong reflexes on his line. An extra goalkeeper was needed because at the moment we only counted one senior goalkeeper in our group with Guillaume Hubert."
Ryan Allsop has taken his chance well in pre-season and has emerged as the out-and-out No.1, shining with both his save-making and his ability to mount attacks with the ball at his feet. Alnwick, meanwhile, has also shown nimble footwork.
But there was a sense that Allsop, who joined after seeing his contract run down at Derby County, was always the nailed-on starter in Morison's mind. After an excellent few seasons with the Rams, the Bluebirds had to fend off a number of potential suitors to get their man.
From Phillips' perspective, he might have thought he would have started this upcoming season in pole position following the departure of Alex Smithies. It has not turned out that way, though, and he is set for a spell away from the Welsh capital.
Phillips, whose contract at Cardiff expires next summer when his loan spell finishes, has never really gotten going after his move from Charlton Athletic in 2020. The 27-year-old has made just 36 appearances for the Welsh club.
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