“He is living proof that accepting some transfers may not be best in the long run, He’s had an absolute nightmare”- PL Pundit Stan Collymore insists Kalvin Phillips should have rejected Man City transfer and should never have left leeds
Kalvin Phillips is one of the best players Leeds United have produced in recent years, but the midfielder has struggled since leaving Elland Road, first at Manchester City and now at West Ham United.
One of the big reasons why Leeds United won promotion to the Championship and then did brilliantly in the Premier League for one season was because of Kalvin Phillips.
Under then Leeds head coach Marcelo Bielsa, Phillips developed his game and took it to another level. The 28-year-old was a force to be reckoned with, and much was expected of him when he joined Manchester City from Leeds in the summer of 2022.
The England international midfielder failed to make an impact at City and joined West Ham United on loan in the January transfer window.
Phillips has been disappointing at London Stadium. The midfielder has made three starts in the Premier League and has made two substitute appearances in the UEFA Europa League for the Hammers.
Former Liverpool and England international striker Stan Collymore has said that Phillips was wrong to leave Leeds for City.
Collymore wrote about Phillips in CaughtOffside: “I don’t think anyone is really surprised the 28-year-old hasn’t been included in the Three Lions’s latest squad. His form has dropped off a cliff since he joined West Ham at the start of the year. He’s had an absolute nightmare.
“The on-loan Manchester City midfielder is living proof that accepting some transfers may not be best in the long. I am sure he received a massive pay rise by leaving Leeds and joining City and he has a token treble but there is no way he’s getting back into that England squad in time for the Euros in the summer, so was it really worth it?
“What would he rather have? — A treble of winners’ medals that he didn’t really contribute toward, or the chance to represent England, and potentially win the country’s first piece of major international silverware since 1966?”
The £165,000-a-week (SalarySport) England international midfielder was playing well for Leeds at the time. It did look like he could be a star for City.
Moreover, leaving Leeds for City was a step-up. The Whites are now playing in the Championship, while the Citizens could win the treble for the second season in a row. Yes, it has not worked out for Phillips, but its commendable that he left Leeds to try to succeed in a far more competitive team.
