Kalvin Phillips Set for Loan Move to Sheffield United

Kalvin Phillips has played only seven minutes for Manchester City this season.

The midfielder is reportedly on the verge of completing a loan move to Sheffield United. With limited opportunities at the Etihad Stadium, Phillips is set to depart ahead of Monday’s 19:00 GMT transfer deadline.

Phillips has reached an agreement to join the Championship club at Bramall Lane until the end of the season, as the team works diligently to finalize the deal for the former England international.

The 30-year-old’s sole appearance this season occurred in the final seven minutes of Manchester City’s Carabao Cup victory over Huddersfield in September.

Having joined Pep Guardiola’s side from his boyhood club Leeds United in 2022 for £45 million, Phillips has previously experienced loan spells at Ipswich Town and West Ham United.

In December 2022, Guardiola publicly criticized the midfielder for returning from the World Cup in an unfit condition, describing him as “overweight” and “not in the right condition to train.”

Throughout his tenure at Manchester City, Phillips has made 32 appearances and was part of the squad that achieved a historic Treble, winning the Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup in 2023.

Key milestones in Phillips’ career include:
– **June 2021:** Following a commendable debut season in the Premier League, Phillips earned a spot in England’s squad for Euro 2020.
– **September 2021:** He started all seven matches in the Euros and was later honored as England’s Player of the Year for 2021.
– **July 2022:** Phillips transferred from Leeds United to Manchester City on a six-year contract in a deal valued at £45 million.
– **September 2022:** His initial months at the Etihad were marred by a shoulder injury, sidelining him for two months.
– **November 2022:** He was named in England’s 26-man squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
– **December 2022:** Upon returning from the World Cup, Guardiola remarked that Phillips was “overweight” and unfit for training or playing.
– **January 2023:** Six months post-signing with City, Phillips made his first start for the club in a 2-0 defeat to Southampton in the Carabao Cup quarter-final.
– **June 2023:** He concluded his first season at the club as a Treble winner despite accumulating under 600 minutes of play.
– **January 2024:** Phillips secured a six-month loan deal with West Ham.
– **February 2024:** Guardiola issued an apology regarding his previous comments about Phillips’ weight.
– **March 2024:** The midfielder was caught on camera using expletives towards West Ham supporters after conceding a penalty in a 4-3 loss to Newcastle United.
– **August 2024:** He joined newly promoted Ipswich Town on a season-long loan.
– **May 2025:** Both Ipswich and Phillips faced relegation to the Championship.
– **September 2025:** After 645 days, Phillips played for Manchester City again in a Carabao Cup match against Huddersfield Town.
– **January 2026:** He is currently in negotiations over a loan transfer to Championship club Sheffield United.