Another local lad appears set to ditch hometown adulation to pursue the trophy-laden dream at Manchester City. One year ago, a certain Jack Grealish exchanged his roles as Aston Villa captain, talisman and role model to become a bit-part player under Pep Guardiola.
Fast forward to the present and history looks set to repeat itself as the champions close in on Kalvin Phillips. A reported £50million fee for the Leeds United midfielder would snare another England international away from his childhood love - devastating the entire Whites fanbase in the process.
With Fernandinho calling quits on an eight-year career at the Etihad Stadium, Guardiola was in the market for another midfield enforcer and Phillips fits the bill. Few around right now are as combative in front of the back four - as the whole country witnessed at EURO 2020 last summer.
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Leeds supporters’ persistent praise for Phillips was justified as the 26-year-old played a pivotal role in the Three Lions reaching a Euro final for the first time. His impressive displays in the engine room saw the Whites’ star asset named England Player of the Year for 2020-21.
However, he only has to look at his England - and potential future club - teammate to see how a move to City can pan out. Grealish fulfilled a lifelong ambition to win the Premier League last month - a feat clouded by the importance the maverick had.
In his debut season, the former Villa man only started 21 top-flight games as Raheem Sterling, Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez, Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva thwarted his opportunities in the first team. Compare that to the previous two Premier League campaigns at Villa, where Grealish started 100% of the games he was available for selection.
Phillips faces stiff competition for a starting role at City from Rodri, Guardiola’s compatriot who acts as the “pivot” in midfield. Similar to Sergio Busquets - the legendary manager’s trusted lieutenant at Barcelona - Rodri dictates the tempo in front of the backline and acts as the unsung hero at the Etihad.
Signing the Leeds general would shake up a stubborn Guardiola formula he rarely strays from. The Spaniard obsesses over having two quality players for each position and Phillips seems destined to fill Fernandinho’s boots - the combative midfielder who was an also-ran in recent title triumphs.
The lifelong Leeds supporter must ask himself this: a decade from now, what does he want?
Silverware as a bit-part player, with a few extra quid… or to be immortalised at Elland Road, adored by his peers and as an inspiration for the next generation of Whites supporters?
Grealish chose the former; the coming days will tell whether Phillips does the same.
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