Darren Bent has claimed that he could see Kalvin Phillips returning to Leeds United in this summer’s transfer window, had they won promotion back to the Premier League.
The England international has just endured a difficult spell on loan at West Ham United after barely playing at Manchester City since a £42million move from Leeds a couple of years ago.
Phillips is a fine player on his day, and would surely be warmly welcomed back to Elland Road, though of course one imagines he would now rather play for another Premier League team than step down to the Championship.
Bent thinks if Daniel Farke’s side had been able to get past Southampton in the Championship playoff final, than Phillips may well have been on his way back there this summer.
Phillips transfer: Bent makes big claim about former Leeds star
“He needs somewhere permanently. West Ham couldn’t have gone any worse. He’s now played himself out of the England internationals,” Bent said on talkSPORT.
“At one stage, he was probably a starter you would say under Gareth Southgate. I know Sean Dyche will work miracles for him, Kalvin Phillips needs to go somewhere. I think he would have gone back to Leeds.
“I know they didn’t go up. Go back, settle somewhere, get a permanent transfer and then start to rebuild. If he is on loan again, if it doesn’t go (well), where does he go from there? I am not sure about this one.”