Scout Report: Is Kalvin Phillips the right midfield signing for Manchester United

It’s no secret that Manchester United must sign a defensive midfielder this summer. The club have been linked to a host of players to fill the role such as AS Monaco’s Aurelien Tchouameni, Marseille’s Boubacar Kamara, West Ham’s Declan Rice and most recently Leeds United’s Kalvin Phillips.

Date of Birth: 02/12/1995 (26)
Position: Defensive Midfield
Strong Foot: Right
Height: 1,78 m (5ft 10in)

Who is Kalvin Phillips?

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Kalvin Phillips has spent the entirety of his professional career at Leeds United where he progressed through the ranks and made his first-team debut for the club in

April 2015. Since then, the Englishman has gone from strength to strength becoming one of Leeds’ most important players. His performances for Leeds earned him a spot in the England squad. He made his debut for the Three Lions in September 2020 and has since made 19 appearances for England. He was an integral part of their Euro 2020 campaign starting all 7 games as the Three Lions finished runners-up after falling short on penalties against Italy.

Due to his performances for Leeds, Phillips is currently attracting interest from a few clubs including United. According to the Manchester Evening News, incoming manager Erik ten Hag will have a veto on any players shortlisted however United are advancing on an intended deal to sign Phillips.

Strengths

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Over the last few years, Phillips has turned into one of England’s best midfielders. He beganf as a box-to-box midfielder but was converted into a defensive midfielder where he’s been brilliant. His physicality is one of the attributes which makes him so effective playing in that no.6 role. He’s also a fantastic tackler, in the last year, he’s averaged 3.45 tackles a game, ranking him amongst the best in Europe’s top five leagues. He’s also good in regard to making interceptions, blocks and clearances. His passing is also one of his most outstanding attributes. He knows when to play the short and safe passes but can also play the longer and more risky passes displaying a fantastic passing range. He reads the game well and his decision making is also strong.

Weaknesses

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In comparison to other midfielders across Europe’s top 5 leagues, he doesn’t rank very highly in progressive carries however his long-range passing makes up for that. Aerially, he’s also not the best as he’s not the tallest but that’s not a massive concern.

Where would he fit in at Manchester United?

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If United do sign Phillips, he would slot right into the defensive midfield role. With Nemanja Matic having confirmed that he’ll leave the club when the season is completed, meaning United won’t have a single specialist defensive midfielder at the club making it essential the club sign one this summer. At the age of 26, it’s probably the right time for Phillips to take the next step in his career and playing under Erik ten Hag at United could be the perfect move for him. 

Verdict

Phillips is a quality player with Premier League experience and would be a cheaper alternative to Declan Rice with West Ham wanting a fee in excess of £100 million. There are other options outside of England such as Sporting’s João Palhinha and Tchouameni however if United want someone affordable who’s Premier League proven, Phillips is one of the best players which fit that sort of profile.

Phillips is a Leeds fan and considered part of the fabric at Elland Road. Due to the massive rivalry with Man United, it’s been questioned whether he’d be open to a move to the red side of Manchester but Samuel Luckhurst, the journalist who originally reported the story linking Phillips to United, has said that the club wouldn’t be making an effort to sign a player if the player was totally unwilling. Phillips has also been linked to Aston Villa and West Ham however United are said to be confident of seeing off any competitors.

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