With a season in freefall and the top four looking unlikely, Liverpool once discovered an unlikely hero in the shape of a burley central defender named Nat Phillips. Partnered with academy graduate Rhys Williams, the pair combined to shore up the Reds’ backline and guide Jurgen Klopp’s side to a 10-game unbeaten run and with it, UEFA Champion League qualification.
Fast forward to today and unfortunately, Liverpool find themselves in a very situation, however, on this occasion it seems Phillips could be on his way out instead of being the saviour. Following a loan spell at Bournemouth that helped guide the Cherries back to the Premier League, the 25-year-old Englishman appears set for a Deadline Day exit…
On the latest episode of our Transfer Insight Show, we asked the chief Liverpool writer for the Liverpool Echo, Ian Doyle for his thoughts situation as things stand…
Doyle said: “For Liverpool, the best thing for Nat Phillips would be to stay there and stay there forever, he’s a very good fifth-choice centre-back. But obviously, that’s not fair on him. He needs to go and play first-team football, he’s certainly played more for Liverpool than he ever could’ve thought three years ago.
“He was on loan at Stuttgart then which at the time we thought was a strange move but it’s helped him get to where he is today. People have seen him play in Europe so he’s actually quite a valuable commodity in that sense. Rhys Williams was brought back to cover for the fact Phillips could go. Liverpool still expects it, but they’ve been expecting this for the last four or five transfer windows but for whatever reason, it hasn’t happened.
“He’s got a lot of strings to his bow so he’ll get a lot of interest. In terms of actually leaving, he only signed a new contract 18 months ago so his transfer value is still as high as it could possibly be so nobody is going to be nicking him on the cheap.”
You can also watch the full show on YouTube as Dan and Ian discuss Phillips, Bellingham, Doak and Clark…
Redmen Reacts
Phillips will certainly leave with the blessing of the entire Liverpool fanbase having stepped into the breach so successfully when all seemed lost.
As Ian rightly states, the 6 foot 3 powerhouse deserves to play regular first-team football and with no domestic cup action for the remaining of the 2022/23 campaign it seems unlikely Phillips will be called upon by Klopp and as such, a pre-11.00pm exit would be the likely outcome.
TO HEAR MORE FROM IAN ON TOPICS SUCH AS JUDE BELLINGHAM, CLICK HERE
