Pep Guardiola has addressed the possibility of Manchester City acquiring a new player to fill the void left by Kalvin Phillips. The manager mentioned this during his press conference ahead of Friday’s FA Cup match against Tottenham. Guardiola disclosed that Phillips underwent a medical with West Ham but indicated that it’s unlikely for City to find a direct replacement for the English midfielder.
When questioned about the likelihood of securing a replacement for Phillips, Guardiola responded, “I don’t think we will replace Kalvin.” The 28-year-old has seen limited playtime this season, featuring in only 89 minutes of Premier League football, mainly coming on as a substitute. Guardiola has often opted for Rico Lewis or Mateo Kovacic alongside Rodri instead of Phillips.
While there were reports linking City to Alan Varela from Porto as a potential replacement for Phillips, Guardiola’s recent comments suggest a lack of eagerness to pursue this move, at least during this month. He had previously stated on September 9 that such a transfer wouldn’t happen unless there was a last-minute change of mind.
As the January transfer window enters its final week, the situation at Manchester City remains uncertain, leaving room for potential developments in the coming days.
