Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is looking ahead to next season already as he eyes a move for a current Premier League midfielder that can take his team to the next level.
What’s the latest on Kalvin Phillips to Aston Villa?
According to Football Insider, Villa have a ‘strong interest’ in Manchester City midfielder Phillips ahead of the summer transfer window and City could demand a fee of around £45m in order to sell him.
The Citizens would be recouping the fee that they splashed out on him last summer while if Emery manages to sign him, he will break the Villa transfer record.
The Spaniard is aiming to take the club to European football and in order to be successful, he will need to bulk up his midfield options.
Could Aston Villa sign Kalvin Phillips?
The Englishman has endured a tough season at City, getting just 353 minutes of action across 14 matches due to injury problems, yet he could still make a difference to the Villa midfield if fully fit.
Emery will no doubt have a clear out in the summer and one player who could leave is Leander Dendoncker, with Football Insider claiming the 51-year-old is preparing to listen to any offers for him at the end of the season.
If the "outstanding" Phillips – as dubbed by Gareth Southgate – brings the form that he displayed whilst at Leeds United in 2021/22, then he would be a major upgrade on the Belgian ahead of next term.
Indeed, last season, the 27-year-old registered more shot-creating actions per game (1.69 to 1.25), won more tackles (25 to 17), interceptions (24 to nine) and succeeded with more take ons (seven to five) proving that he is a much better option from both a defensive and ball-playing point of view than the Belgian.
Across Europe’s top five leagues, Phillips ranks in the top 21% for defensive metrics including tackles, blocks, and interceptions, suggesting that the Villa boss could be signing one of the finest defensive midfielders on the continent when fully fit.
A fee of £45m, providing Phillips stays fit, could represent an excellent investment by Villa and will give Emery the licence to get rid of a few players in the process, Dendoncker included.