Kalvin Phillips confirms Man City transfer plans & explains Pep Guardiola talks

Kalvin Phillips has confirmed he has no plans to leave Manchester City this summer, despite enduring a frustrating first campaign at the Etihad.

The ex-Leeds United man joined City nearly 12 months ago for an initial fee of £42m, but didn’t start a single Premier League match until Pep Guardiola’s side had been crowned champions in May. Phillips was also given limited game time in the cups and across the entire campaign started just four matches.

It’s led to speculation that both the club and player are open to a parting of the ways this summer. Yet, speaking after scoring his first England goal in an emphatic 7-0 victory over North Macedonia on Monday, Phillips said he has no plans to move on this summer, but admitted that could change in the future if he doesn’t get more minutes on the pitch.

“My intention is to stay there,” said the midfielder. “We have just won the treble, so there is no reason for me to leave other than if I am not playing I will obviously have to think about it. I cannot give it 12 months and say ‘I am not playing so I am going to leave’.

“As you have seen with many players at City, it can take quite a while to cement yourself into the team. Hopefully I will enjoy my off-season and then work hard when I get back.”

Phillips also revealed he will discuss his lack of playing time with Guardiola when the team return to pre-season training next month. “I will definitely speak to Pep,” he said. “I don’t know whether it will be in the summer because everyone enjoys their downtime and everyone wants their space away from football, so I’ll probably leave it until I go back for pre-season but I’ll just speak to him and have a good conversation.”

Phillips was one of five City stars who featured in the victory over North Macedonia at Old Trafford, the players’ final match of a marathon campaign. The 27-year-old, along with Kyle Walker, John Stones, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish didn’t start in last week’s 4-0 win over Malta given their late arrival at camp following the celebrations that accompanied the team’s historic treble.

“It has been an unbelievable few weeks,” Phillips reflected. “As everyone knows we have been celebrating the treble that we won and just to come here and spend time with the lads. They are a great bunch of lads and they all welcomed us with open arms after seeing us win the treble, even though a few of them weren’t happy about it!”

Asked about some of the reaction to the extended partying in Manchester last week, Phillips said: “I just find it quite funny. We are all young lads, we were always going to go out and enjoy ourselves and Jack more than anyone was getting the headlines, but everyone was the same. Everyone was enjoying it as much as Jack was.

“It is hard to say, past years when Man United won the treble I dread to think what they were doing at that time. It was a great time to celebrate and spend it with my family as well.”