Feyenoord are interested in signing Liverpool centre-back Nat Phillips, who is believed to be on the radar of Leeds United as well.
Feyenoord join Leeds in looking at Nat Phillips
The 26-year-old has been with the Reds for the past seven years, but he has struggled for game time, aside from the 2020/21 campaign, where Phillips stepped up following a remarkable injury crisis at Anfield, meaning he made 17 appearances in the league.
His performances that season saw the defender become a cult hero at Liverpool, with Jurgen Klopp also praising his attitude and professionalism.
However, Phillips realistically knows that he needs to move on if he wants to play moving forward, and it had been claimed that Leeds were keen on the player in a potential £10m deal as they look to strengthen for what they hope will be a promotion push.
But, that won’t be straightforward, as The Athletic has now revealed that Feyenoord are keeping tabs on Phillips, although no formal discussions have taken place at the moment between the clubs.
Will Nat Phillips leave Liverpool?
As mentioned, Phillips knows he isn’t going to play at Liverpool, and he’s at a stage in his career where he needs to be playing each week. So, you would presume that he will push for a move this summer, and the Merseyside outfit won’t stand in his way.
The level of interest in the player shows that he is well regarded outside of Liverpool, although the £10m fee may be a bit ambitious, even if the clubs will no doubt negotiate.
But, Liverpool have shown in the past that they will stick to their guns when it comes to valuations of players, and they’ve made a lot of money on those on the fringes over the years, which is to their credit.
Phillips still has two years left on his contract at Anfield, so they are under no pressure to sell, even if they will surely recognise a move would suit all parties this summer.
What does Feyenoord’s interest mean for Leeds?
This could certainly be problematic for Leeds, as the Dutch giants have just won the Eredivisie, meaning they will be playing Champions League football next season. So, the appeal of moving to Rotterdam is obvious, and Phillips has shown he is willing to move abroad, having spent a year with Stuttgart on loan earlier in his career.
The extra funds that come with playing in Europe’s top competition, along with Orkun Kokcu’s sale to Benfica for up to 30m euros means that Feyenoord are in a position to spend this summer.
Having said that, Leeds are obviously a big club, and they will hope to be back in the Premier League next year, so Phillips may recognise the potential at Elland Road and decide to make the move there if the opportunity arises.
New boss Daniel Farke is sure to be on the lookout for defensive reinforcements, as Diego Llorente is poised to join Roma, whilst Robin Koch is on the verge of signing for Eintracht Frankfurt.
