Manchester City target Kalvin Phillips to bolster midfield options

Manchester City are plotting a move for Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips in the summer transfer window.

The newly crowned Premier League champions have placed the Englishman at the top of their list of midfield options, as they seek a replacement for the outgoing Fernandinho.

According to the Times, Pep Guardiola's side are ready to submit a bid for Phillips, who has also been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United, Aston Villa, Arsenal and West Ham United.

Another option was Declan Rice at West Ham, but the quoted 150 million pound asking price was off-putting.

Phillips himself will not be a particularly cheap option as the 26-year-old has still got two years left to run on his contract, while Leeds also avoided relegation on the final day of the Premier League season, strengthening their bargaining power.

Man City transfer news

The news comes as no surprise, as City are known to move extremely quickly in the early stages of the transfer market and this summer is no different.

They have already secured the services of River Plate forward Julian Alvarez, as well as Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund.

They are making strides towards signing Brighton left-back Marc Cucurella as well. He has had an excellent season and Guardiola feels that the former Barcelona youngster can put an end to his woes in the left-back position.

If a move for Phillips does not go ahead as planned, other targets include Monaco's Aurelien Tchouameni, who is thought to have a price tag of around 60 million pounds. Liverpool and Real Madrid are in the picture for the 22-year-old Frenchman.

Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong is another quality midfielder being linked with multiple big clubs in Europe, but it is thought that he plays in too attacking a role for what Guardiola currently needs at City.

As is the case every summer, City will be looking to build a squad that can finally win the Champions League, having been knocked out by Real Madrid at the semi-final stage this season.

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