Phillips concluded.
Kalvin Phillips Intends to Stay with Manchester City Despite Limited Playing Time
Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips has recently been linked with moves to Liverpool, Newcastle and West Ham, but the 27-year-old has made it clear that he intends to stay with the Treble-winning club despite not featuring “as much as I wanted to do”. After scoring his first international goal in England’s 7-0 victory over North Macedonia on Monday night, Phillips spoke to the media about his slow start at Etihad Stadium and his plans for the future.
Injuries and Adapting to a New Club
Phillips missed 16 games early last season with a shoulder injury, but a successful operation in September allowed him to recover in time to make England’s World Cup squad for Qatar 2022. He explained that injuries had contributed to his slow start at Manchester City, saying “To be honest I was injured before I even went to City, so that is one of the main reasons why I was injured so much. Everything is fine with my body, I will continue to work hard next season and hopefully do well when I go back to City.”
Phillips also acknowledged that it takes time to “cement yourself” into Pep Guardiola’s side. He said he had spoken to team-mates Nathan Ake and Jack Grealish about their second seasons at the club, with both players having similarly struggled to cement starting spots soon after their big-money moves. After struggling in his first season after joining City from Aston Villa for £100m, Grealish went on to make 50 appearances in 2022-23, scoring five goals and making 11 assists overall as the team won the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.
Off-Season Plans and Conversation with Pep
Phillips said he has “nothing to worry about now” after recovering from his injuries and that he intends to stay with Manchester City. He added that he will go away for the off-season and enjoy himself with his family and friends before coming back fighting. He also said he will speak to Pep Guardiola when he returns for pre-season.
Conclusion
Despite being linked with moves away from Manchester City, Kalvin Phillips has made it clear that his intention is to stay with the club. He acknowledged that it takes time to “cement yourself” into Pep Guardiola’s side and that he has spoken to team-mates Nathan Ake and Jack Grealish about their second seasons at the club. Phillips said he will go away for the off-season and enjoy himself with his family and friends before coming back fighting and will speak to Pep when he returns for pre-season.