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Kalvin Phillips: Manchester City agree £45m deal for Leeds United midfielder

By Mike MinayBBC Sport

Last updated on .From the section Man Citycomments2534

Kalvin Phillips
Kalvin Phillips has won 23 caps for England

Manchester City have agreed a £45m deal with Leeds for England midfielder Kalvin Phillips.

The club will pay £42m for the 26-year-old with potential bonuses of £3m.

The Premier League champions made Phillips a key summer transfer target, with Fernandinho leaving this summer after nine years with the club.

Phillips was in the Leeds academy and has made 214 appearances for the side since his senior debut in 2015.

City have already been busy in the transfer market with Erling Haaland completing a £51.2m transfer from Borussia Dortmund.

He has signed a five-year deal until 2027 and will join the club on 1 July.

City forward Gabriel Jesus has been linked with a move to Arsenal.

Phillips is expected to provide back up for Rodri at City in the single defensive midfield position favoured by manager Pep Guardiola.

A key player for Leeds under former boss Marcelo Bielsa, Phillips has also shown his ability to operate higher up the pitch alongside Declan Rice for England.

England's player of the year in 2020-21, Phillips will need to fend off competition from Jude Bellingham, Jordan Henderson, Conor Gallagher and James Ward-Prowse to earn his place in Gareth Southgate's World Cup squad.

In a separate deal, midfielder Darko Gyabi will leave City's academy and join Leeds for £5m.

Mural featuring Kalvin Phillips (centre), Albert Johanneson (left) and Lucas Radebe (right) in Leeds city centre
Phillips is featured in a mural depicting Leeds legends, along with Albert Johanneson (left) and Lucas Radebe (right), in The Calls area of Leeds
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2534 comments

  • Comment posted by Julianh, at 18:54 24 Jun 2022

    "The Premier League champions made Phillips their number one summer transfer target". Haven't you forgotten a Norwegian striker who has also joined City

    • Reply posted by liverpool supporter right here, at 19:31 24 Jun 2022

      liverpool supporter right here replied:
      Looks like you have not forgotten. Maybe you should work for BBC Sport

  • Comment posted by Damien Taylor, at 18:31 24 Jun 2022

    As a Leeds lad, I"m sure most of us wish him well, Man City have the financial clout and will win things, so totally understand his decision. At Leeds, we just can't cope with the big spenders at the moment. Just glad he didn't go to Man Utd.

    • Reply posted by County15, at 18:35 24 Jun 2022

      County15 replied:
      Not as glad as he is.

  • Comment posted by GaryBaldy, at 18:28 24 Jun 2022

    Another Grealish be wasted at city benchwarming

    • Reply posted by Commentier, at 18:36 24 Jun 2022

      Commentier replied:
      Hopefully will sit in immediately to protect the back 4 while Grealish gets more games.

  • Comment posted by iknoweverythinglol, at 18:27 24 Jun 2022

    Oil clubs are killing football

    • Reply posted by Commentier, at 18:33 24 Jun 2022

      Commentier replied:
      No different to Man United buying Leeds’ best in the 2000s.

  • Comment posted by chris123, at 18:49 24 Jun 2022

    Worst kept secret in Leeds - local carpet man reported he's had a medical and was on his way across the pennines on FB weeks ago - I guess he knew all the underlaying reasons

    • Reply posted by Whiterose, at 19:25 24 Jun 2022

      Whiterose replied:
      Get your coat...

      haha

  • Comment posted by Nolberto Goaliola, at 18:49 24 Jun 2022

    I'm going to go out on a limb and make a spectacular prediction for next season. Any team that manages to finish above Manchester City will win the premier league.

    • Reply posted by Whiterose, at 19:26 24 Jun 2022

      Whiterose replied:
      You may well be right.

  • Comment posted by JimmyTheBrain, at 18:30 24 Jun 2022

    The medical staff at Man City must be bored and are looking for a new patient.

    • Reply posted by Emmastan291, at 18:48 24 Jun 2022

      Emmastan291 replied:
      City haven't been fortunate in that area

  • Comment posted by Clankylad, at 18:41 24 Jun 2022

    Sad to see him leave, but we can’t complain about the service we’ve had from him or blame him for wanting a big payday. It’s a short career.

    • Reply posted by liverpool supporter right here, at 19:34 24 Jun 2022

      liverpool supporter right here replied:
      Maybe he dont rate Jesse Marsch

  • Comment posted by Lawnsider, at 20:41 24 Jun 2022

    Football being increasingly dominated by richest clubs... who can now have 2 squads of first team players, and also use 5 subs to reduce risk of injury and fatigue, so you can now use 16 top quality players in 1 game against a club with vastly inferior talent and financial resources. Corporate football.

    • Reply posted by Dougal, at 20:45 24 Jun 2022

      Dougal replied:
      Spot on. For "club" read "corp"

  • Comment posted by Enos Okoth, at 18:34 24 Jun 2022

    Great business by Manchester City. As they and Liverpool announce fantastic signings, Manchester United announced 'Sunshine' at Old Trafford.
    We've become so miserable

    • Reply posted by liverpool supporter right here, at 19:33 24 Jun 2022

      liverpool supporter right here replied:
      The fans will go on another protest soon as the owners are not providing money for players

  • Comment posted by aye, at 18:34 24 Jun 2022

    Sell when value is high. Don’t think value will go above that. Always get annoyed when teams hold onto players and their value drops and so do performances.
    I think they can replace him just need to use it wisely.

    • Reply posted by Question Everything, at 19:01 24 Jun 2022

      Question Everything replied:
      Good price for a very injury prone player.

  • Comment posted by Dinoscaramanga, at 18:32 24 Jun 2022

    Must have been his performance Vs Hungary that sealed the deal

    • Reply posted by D1682552405157, at 18:47 24 Jun 2022

      D1682552405157 replied:
      I wouldn't know

  • Comment posted by davet, at 18:37 24 Jun 2022

    Good deal for Leeds, good squad player for City. Leeds must use money well now. Don't think we'll miss him with a better balanced squad. MOT

    • Reply posted by Mr and Mrs Banks, at 19:22 24 Jun 2022

      Mr and Mrs Banks replied:
      Can’t help but think it’s going to turn into another Fabian Delph where he becomes a bit part player… I hope not…

      You never know, he might get loaned back season after!

  • Comment posted by no one, at 19:25 24 Jun 2022

    best wishes to Kalvin - leeds would still be in the championship if he was not there at the time - a deserved move to man c - sky high wages made for life and plenty of winners medals - main initial role rotation player than permanent replacement for the current incumbent - no genuine leeds fan / supporter will begrudge him this

    • Reply posted by the peoples poet, at 20:43 24 Jun 2022

      the peoples poet replied:
      good business for Leeds.
      Kalvin is 100% Leeds and we thank him for providing us with great moments in our recent history.

  • Comment posted by angus mccoatup, at 19:03 24 Jun 2022

    Nearly £200m spent in the last twelve months. FFP is a joke at the moment.

    • Reply posted by mdb, at 19:15 24 Jun 2022

      mdb replied:
      Of course, as it's city you don't count sales when making these statements.
      Apparent net spend doesn't count for city?

  • Comment posted by dave2261, at 18:31 24 Jun 2022

    It is what it is. No player is bigger then the club. Leeds United must spend the fee wisely and add quality signings.

    • Reply posted by The Nook, at 18:39 24 Jun 2022

      The Nook replied:
      agreed, but if they do find those players, rest assured that the Big Boys will be back to pick em off again.

  • Comment posted by Not John Barnes, at 18:32 24 Jun 2022

    Surely it's Pep's Man City? Or does that only work with the likes of Derby and Burnley? Won't work with Derby any longer mind. Poor BBC, there's a good article source gone.

    Good signing for City, bit steep for what will just be a back up to the far superior Rodri, but City are no strangers to paying around the 40-50m mark for squad rotation guys. Plus he's English, another HG quota filled.

    • Reply posted by Cold Lion, at 18:37 24 Jun 2022

      Cold Lion replied:
      That Rooney’s Derby title for the fixture list is gonna look very silly now lol

  • Comment posted by Hard Labour, at 18:33 24 Jun 2022

    The Yorkshire Djemba Djemba.

    • Reply posted by liverpool supporter right here, at 19:32 24 Jun 2022

      liverpool supporter right here replied:
      More like the Yorkshire Kleberson

  • Comment posted by Hudwinker 66, at 19:00 24 Jun 2022

    Good luck to him but, unless I have been missing something in his most recent televised, England performances, a Yorkshire Pirlo he is not.

    • Reply posted by TheNightmanCometh, at 19:58 24 Jun 2022

      TheNightmanCometh replied:
      I don't think Pep really gives two hoots how he plays for England, as long as he does it for Man City.

  • Comment posted by big G, at 19:22 24 Jun 2022

    Someone has done a right job on Leeds with this one. 42 million is a joke given what some players are costing these days. As a Chelsea fan it's lovely to see how far 90+ million can go 🤦 Haaland and Phillips for 3 millions less than Lakaku cost.

    • Reply posted by Hampshire Spur, at 19:24 24 Jun 2022

      Hampshire Spur replied:
      And you had lukaku 3 times.

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