Newcastle United have been boosted in their efforts to sign an "outrageous" midfielder in January after an update from journalist Ben Jacobs.
Newcastle want Kalvin Phillips
The Magpies look highly likely to be in the transfer market once the winter window rolls around, following the 10-month ban for key midfielder Sandro Tonali. The 23-year-old has been found guilty of breaching betting rules while still at AC Milan, prior to making an exciting move to Newcastle in the summer.
Eddie Howe has been linked with bringing in a number of different players, in order to make up for the loss of Tonali, but Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips has emerged as a target for Newcastle, along with players such as Scott McTominay, Ruben Neves, Exequiel Palacios and N'Golo Kante.
The 27-year-old joined the reigning Premier League champions from Leeds United last year, but injuries have hampered him, and he has seemingly failed to fully convince Pep Guardiola about his worth to the team. Now, another update has emerged regarding Newcastle's pursuit of Phillips, potentially once the January transfer window opens, with a move away looking increasingly on the cards for the midfielder.
Kalvin Phillips transfer latest
Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jacobs claimed that Newcastle target Phillips looks very likely to leave Manchester City in January, also mentioning the Magpies' interest in him:
"They will want to be careful not to replace Tonali in a way where, in these 10 months, he falls down the pecking order. That is why a loan might be a solution.
"We hear a lot of talk about Kalvin Phillips and Newcastle. There is a strong chance that Kalvin Phillips leaves Manchester City in January. The player started the season fully intent on fighting for his place at Manchester City, but I think that there is a growing acceptance now from all parties that he might leave.
"I've said many times before that Newcastle are one of the clubs tracking him. West Ham have looked in the past as well, but they were able to eventually bring in a flurry of midfielders off the back of selling Declan Rice."
Of all the potential options to replace Tonali, Phillips could be a shrewd choice, with a loan move to St James' Park in the second half of the season one that could suit all parties. The Englishman clearly isn't seen as a key player for City, with Phillips' stats showing that he has featured for just 70 minutes of Premier League action this season, and he will be desperate for regular playing time before Euro 2024 next summer.
Phillips may have learned so much at City under Guardiola, both in a technical and tactical sense, and Newcastle could benefit from that, bringing him in as someone who can sit in the midfield and allow Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton to express themselves in front of him. The former Leeds man is an excellent footballer who can produce quality going forward in his own right, however, with teammate John Stones describing him as an "outrageous" player in the past, and he could be revitalised at Newcastle, possibly even completing a permanent switch further down the line.