Three Leeds United academy graduates will hear from Manchester City in January on their transfer requests as the team works to complete the superstar agreement.
Despite being in various phases of their careers, Charlie Cresswell, Jamie Shackleton, and Kalvin Phillips all have important decisions to make in the upcoming year.
Phillips believes that his “dream move” to Manchester City has allowed him to win medals and accumulate wealth that he would not have been able to acquire had he stayed at Elland Road. What it hasn’t delivered, though, is the playing time he needs and wants—especially with another significant international tournament scheduled for the upcoming year.
Being ever-present at Leeds in Marcelo Bielsa’s system catapulted Phillips into the national team picture, where he was ever-present for the delayed 2020 European Championships. Going to Manchester City, where he has been a bit-part player in a much larger and more talented cast, has not removed him from Gareth Southgate’s plans but it has coincided with less frequent starts for his country. Since the £42m move Phillips has started just three of the 13 England games for which he has been fit and available.
