Sky Sports have shared a key update regarding the future of Liverpool defender Nat Phillips, following a rejected bid on Monday.
Phillips has no future at Liverpool
It is easy to forget that the 27-year-old is still on the books at Anfield, considering how little he has featured for the Merseysiders of late. In fact, his last appearance came against Wolves in the FA Cup in January 2023, with Jurgen Klopp not considering him an important player.
Last season, Phillips had stints on loan at both Celtic and Cardiff City – Leeds also wanted him at one point – and with only one year remaining on his current Liverpool deal, the club have a big decision to make this summer. If they don't sell him now, they will essentially lose him on a free transfer next year, so cashing in at this point makes total sense.
The Reds will want to ensure that the Englishman goes for the right amount of money, however, with losing him on the cheap a clear negative, especially as Klopp once described him as "absolutely insane" after some sterling performances towards the end of the 2020/21 season.
Phillips performed admirably in the absence of the likes of injured trio Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez, helping Liverpool secure a third-place finish in the Premier League, which earned the 'Bolton Baresi' an almost cult hero status in the process.
Liverpool reject bid for Nat Phillips
Now, Sky Sports have claimed that Liverpool have turned down a £4m offer for Phillips from Turkish side Trabzonspor, as numerous Championship sides also circle for his signature. The Reds want double that amount, as Michael Edwards demands an increase to £8m.
"Liverpool have been busy, rejecting a £4m offer from Trabzonspor for the services of Nat Phillips. They value him at around £8m and appear to be sticking to that. There's also a lot of interest from a number of Championship clubs."
This summer really does feel like the right time for Phillips to leave Liverpool, considering Arne Slot surely doesn't consider him a key part of his plans at Anfield. In Van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Jarell Quansah, the Dutchman already has three strong centre-back options, and it would be a huge surprise if at least one new player in that area didn't arrive to bolster the squad depth this summer, too.
At 27, it is time for the £65,000-a-week Liverpool man to settle at another club, rather than have a nomadic career jumping between clubs on loan, and there is no reason why he can't be a solid signing for a lower-ranked Premier League side, or perhaps a team pushing for promotion from the Championship.
Liverpool now interested in "great" ace dumped out of Copa America by Nunez
The Reds have reportedly joined the race.
ByTom CunninghamJul 7, 2024
Phillips will depart as a popular figure when he does leave, with superior players loved far less than him in the past, and some memorable moments have come his way, not least the brilliant Cruyff turn that bamboozled Zlatan Ibrahimovic in a Champions League clash back in 2021.