Aston Villa Opinion: Kalvin Philipps would add a lot more depth and steel to Dean Smith’s midfield
According to The Telegraph, Aston Villa are the latest club to have been credited with an interest in Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips, with reports claiming that the Lions are ready to make a £14 million bid for the 23-year-old.
The Telegraph understands that Lions manager Dean Smith is keen to add more depth and quality to his ranks in order to ensure survival in the top-flight and he has identified Phillips as a viable option.
Born in Leeds and an academy graduate of the Whites highly-esteemed youth system, Phillips played a key role for Marcelo Bielsa’s side in the Championship this past season, as the West Yorkshire giants came ever so close to making a return to the top-flight for the first time in 15 years.
The 23-year-old defensive midfielder made 44 appearances for Leeds in the Championship and contributed with a goal and 3 assists, with the manager also using him as a central defender to cover for the absence of some key players at the back.
Phillips’ consistently impressive displays earned him plaudits from the fans and pundits alike and he is likely to be a man-in-demand this summer.
Leeds are likely to face a stern test in their attempts to hold on to some of the key players at the club after missing out on promotion.
Phillips was amongst the standout performers and the Elland Road-based outfit are very much aware of the youngster’s rising stocks, with reports from The Telegraph suggesting that the Whites are ready to demand a fee of up to £20 million for the 23-year-old.
Meanwhile, Villa have already set the ball rolling in the summer transfer window, with the Lions striking deals for Birmingham City playmaker Jota, as well as Wolves and Lille loanees Kortney Hause and Anwar El Ghazi as a part of their spending spree heading into the upcoming season.
The Midlands outfit will be expected to bring in a few more fresh faces in a bid to add more depth, quality and experience to all areas of their squad, and Villa’s links with Phillips should come as a piece of welcome news to the fans at Villa Park.
To put things into perspective, Aston Villa can certainly do with a bit more competition for places in the middle of the park and Leeds United star Kalvin Phillips certainly fits the bill.
The 23-year-old has carved out a reputation for himself as one of the best defensive midfielders in the second-tier, making a total of 141 appearances for the Whites since breaking into the first-team picture at Elland Road in the 2014-15 season.
Villa confirmed the release of quite a few ageing stars upon their promotion to the Premier League, with the likes of Alan Hutton, Mile Jedinak, Albert Adomah and Glen Whelan amongst those to be shown the exit door by the club owners.
The likes of Connor Hourihane, Jack Grealish and John McGinn are expected to be a part of Villa’s plans in the Premier League next term but the departure of Whelan and Jedinak should prompt them to look for a few alternatives in the market.
They do have the likes of Tom Carroll and Henri Lansbury as viable options but one can get the feeling that the acquisition of a talented youngster like Phillips would be a massive coup for the Lions.
The 23-year-old showcased the versatility to play in central midfield and central defence in the Championship this past season and Dean Smith has every reason to look at him as someone who could possibly provide cover in multiple areas of the pitch.
Essentially a defensive midfielder by trade, Phillips is noted for his tough-tackling style of play, as well as his strength, tenacity, drive, determination and quality on the ball.
Strong in the air, quick across the ground and blessed with an impressive range of passing, the 23-year-old never shies away from a challenge or two and is always ready to get his hands dirty for the sake of his team.
Phillips was one of the most accurate passers of the ball for Leeds this past season, boasting of a pass success rate 82.1. Furthermore, he averaged 2.6 tackles, 1.3 interceptions, 2.6 clearances, 4.6 successful long balls, 0.6 key passes and 2.6 aerial duels per game, figures which speak volumes of his well-rounded attributes as a defensive midfielder and an auxiliary centre-back.
Having outgrown the Championship, Leeds United’s 23-year-old homegrown star is just about to enter his prime years and Villa should go all out in their pursuit of the highly-rated Championship ace in a bid to add more depth and quality to their midfield.
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Central midfield is one area of the pitch where a lot of depth is desirable and the acquisition of Phillips should solve a lot of worries for the Lions.
