Journo gets it totally wrong with Kalvin Phillips to West Ham United verdict
West Ham target Kalvin Phillips risks seeing his career stagnate if he decides against departing Manchester City in January.
The England international admitted after starting for England in their 3-1 win over Italy this week that he needs to be playing more regularly.
Phillips has started just one game in all competitions for City this season and was told he could leave in the most recent transfer window.
West Ham are supposedly the favourites to sign Phillips should he leave City [Sussex Express, 10 October], while Everton have also been linked.
However, speaking on the Totally Football Show on Monday [16 October, 33m 45s], The Athletic’s Tim Spiers urged Phillips to stay at City.
“If I was Phillips, and there’s lots of talk about him going out in January to get some game time, I’d be going absolutely nowhere,” Spiers said.
“If he ends up going to West Ham on loan in January and plays his way out of form, that’s the only way he’ll lose his place for England.
“He’s eighth choice midfielder at City and still gets in the England team.”
The thinking behind Spiers’ comments – made before the Italy game – is that if nothing changes, everything stays the same.
But Phillips has himself accepted that his chances of starting for England at the Euros will diminish the longer he is out of the picture at City.
Even beyond the European Championship finals, the 27-year-old risks seeing the peak years of his career get away from him if he stays put.
It is easy to forget after 15 disappointing months at the Etihad Stadium, but Phillips was superb in the Premier League for Leeds United.
Nobody could begrudge him his move away when it came, but Pep Guardiola quite simply does not fancy him.
Under David Moyes at West Ham, Phillips will be made to feel at home and – most importantly of all – will further improve United’s midfield.
Playing regular football will only benefit the Yorkshireman, regardless of what Spiers said with regards to playing himself out of the side.
If Phillips stays at City, it could cost him a further four months of his career and see him miss out on a place in Gareth Southgate’s favoured XI – that benefits nobody.
That is why a move to London Stadium, at a club on the up, makes total sense.
In other West Ham news, the Hammers risk paying the price over a decision that was reportedly made this week.