Ipswich Town Agrees To Season-Long Loan For Manchester City’s Kalvin Phillips
- Lloyd Richman
- Aug 15, 2024
- 2 min read
Ipswich Town has reached an agreement with Manchester City to bring midfielder Kalvin Phillips to Portman Road on a season-long loan.
The 28-year-old England international is set to undergo a medical examination with the newly-promoted Premier League side on Thursday. The move comes after Phillips was reportedly impressed by the vision laid out by Ipswich’s manager, Kieran McKenna, and the club’s chairman, Mark Ashton.
Despite interest from multiple Premier League clubs, Phillips has opted to join Ipswich, with Manchester City agreeing to cover a portion of his wages. This marks Ipswich's eighth signing of the summer transfer window as they prepare for their return to England’s top tier.
Phillips' time at Manchester City has been challenging, to say the least. Since joining from Leeds United two years ago, he has struggled to secure a spot in Pep Guardiola’s starting lineup, managing only six starts in all competitions. Guardiola himself admitted that Phillips found it difficult to adapt to the team’s style, leading to limited opportunities.
The midfielder spent the latter half of the previous season on loan at West Ham United, where he made just 10 appearances, starting only three games. His stint at West Ham also saw him receive a red card in a match against Nottingham Forest. These struggles contributed to his exclusion from Gareth Southgate's England squad ahead of Euro 2024, with his last international cap dating back to November 2023.
Ipswich’s transfer activity has been noteworthy since their promotion to the Premier League. In addition to Phillips, the club has secured the services of players like Omari Hutchinson, Ben Johnson, Jacob Greaves, Liam Delap, Arijanet Muric, and Conor Townsend.
Discussions are also ongoing regarding a potential loan deal for Jens Cajuste from Napoli.
Ipswich Town will kick off their Premier League campaign at home against Liverpool, who will be led by their new manager, Arne Slot, on Saturday.
The match is set to be a significant test for McKenna’s newly assembled squad as they look to make a strong impression in their return to the top flight.
