West Ham United unwilling to match Manchester City demands in fresh Kalvin Phillips twist
West Ham are unwilling to match what Manchester City want for Kalvin Phillips but are still favourites to secure his services, according to Jack Rosser.
The Sun journalist wrote on Twitter on 22 January that the Hammers do not want to pay the Citizens £7million to take the England international on loan.
They are in negotiations to bring down the fee and still lead the race to secure his services.
Rosser wrote: “Talks between West Ham and Manchester City continuing on Kalvin Phillips.
“West Ham is his most likely move but they don’t want to pay £7m loan fee, trying to negotiate that down.”
Fair enough
This substantial fee might be seen as excessive for a loan move, especially given the financial constraints many clubs face at this time of the year.
Additionally, the Hammers already boast effective midfield options in the form of James Ward-Prowse and Edson Alvarez, who are performing well.
Lucas Paqueta’s role as a more advanced midfielder complements the existing midfield setup, making the investment in Phillips less urgent.
Moreover, Phillips has struggled for playing time under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, raising concerns about his match fitness and form.
His previous long-term injury adds to the risk associated with his lack of consistent game time.
West Ham are a 100 per cent justified in negotiating down the loan fee to reflect these factors and ensure they secure a cost-effective deal for a player who may require time to integrate into their squad and regain peak performance.
Whether or not City are convinced by this, remains to be seen but West Ham certainly have to try their level best to get this done.
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