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Kalvin Phillips has been named as Juventus’ top transfer target by Massimiliano Allegri, and is also highly regarded by sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli, with a view to landing the player in the January 2025 transfer market.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the Italian club has quietly started negotiations on a loan deal with the option to buy the English midfielder, who became a highlight of English football under Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds.
Juventus have been forced to give up Paul Pogba and Nicolo Fagioli due to the suspensions handed to the players and will make signing at least two midfield reinforcements a priority in January – starting with the Yorkshireman who can currently only watch matches through a club binoculars. bench at Manchester City.
The Old Lady don’t just want Phillips because they are confident he will provide a missing piece in the puzzle in Turin, but because they are confident they will get a lot on the market for a player of his quality.
A starter in the final Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy, the negative situation at Man City could nevertheless jeopardize his career. Serie A could be an ideal competition to improve his technical and tactical skills.
Kalvin Phillips has enjoyed much of Manchester City’s season so far from the substitutes’ bench
Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri believes the former Leeds star could be crucial in Turin
The Old Lady cannot call on Nicolo Fagioli for the next seven months after his suspension for illegal gambling
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Newcastle are believed to be another suitor for the player, but Man City would prefer to sell the midfielder to Italy – thus avoiding a Premier League rival.
OLD LADY KEEPING HER OPTIONS OPEN
With Juventus close to completing their pursuit of Udinese’s Lazar Samardzic, they will hope to move with similar speed to secure Phillips, as opposed to perhaps more ambitious targets including Tottenham’s Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Atletico Madrid’s Rodrigo De Paul.
The Turin side is an option that fascinates the England midfielder, partly because of the club’s history and partly because of the possibility of playing as a starter.
However, the Italian club would like to have the option to buy him if the second half of the season in the summer of 2024 proves to be a success.
The idea of a six-month loan without an option to buy appears to be unpopular as the club wants to avoid being pigeonholed as a winter holiday destination for top foreign players.
But as talks intensify, an agreement could be reached as early as December.
Despite failing to gain game time at the Etihad, Phillips remains valuable to Gareth Southgate
Pep Guardiola has limited interest in the midfielder, but the club are keen not to lose him to a Premier League rival
GUARDIOLA’S SNOW COULD PREVENT ENGLAND SILENCE
Six games between the Premier League and the cup competition, under 170 minutes in total this season, is not enough for a player who was the irreplaceable lynchpin of Leeds’ midfield.
Completely ignored by Pep Guardiola, the English player wants to increase his playing time to remain eligible for the England national team.
Giuntoli has no immediate budget available despite Juventus launching a £173.5 million (€200 million) capital increase, but will look for a free loan with the right to buy if Juventus qualify for the Champions League – but despite limited playing time, Phillips’ rating remains extremely high.