Everton is contemplating a strategic risk by potentially acquiring Kalvin Phillips on loan from Manchester City, but is this the right decision for a player who may be past his peak?
Frank Lampard’s tenure began on the penultimate day of the 2022 winter window, when the Blues faced disappointment with another English midfielder, Dele Alli.
Dele had to sign permanently because Lampard had already brought Donny van de Beek on loan from Manchester United, using up their domestic loan slot just three days before Rafael Benitez was fired by signing Anwar El Ghazi from Aston Villa (who only played 11 minutes in two brief appearances against Leeds United and Manchester City).
Football fans know Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy is a tough negotiator. According to the ECHO, Levy agreed on a price for Richarlison with Everton’s Bill Kenwright in a Mayfair seafood restaurant but later tried to lower his offer.
Levy allowed the Blues to sign Dele on an initial free transfer with appearance-related fees and other clauses potentially raising the cost to around £40 million.
Despite being named the world’s most valuable midfielder by CIES Football Observatory four years earlier, Dele couldn’t regain his form.
After a candid interview with Gary Neville last July about various off-field issues, Dele did not play this season, further hampered by injuries.
Ahead of their season-ending match, Everton stated he would stay with them to undergo intensive rehabilitation for a long-term groin injury, despite his contract ending this month.
Phillips, also 28, could be signed on a short-term contract, allowing Everton to evaluate him before a permanent decision.
Director of football Kevin Thelwell emphasized the importance of shrewd transactions for a sustainable football model. A loan for the sidelined Etihad player could be an economical acquisition.
After Pep Guardiola’s embarrassing claim that Phillips was overweight, followed by an apology, Phillips has only played two Premier League games for Manchester City.
His stock dropped further after a lackluster loan spell at West Ham United in the latter half of this season.
Signed by David Moyes on January 26, Phillips had a poor start on February 1, making a mistake that allowed Bournemouth’s Dominic Solanke to score in a 1-1 draw.
He made just eight appearances for the Hammers, never completing a game and playing more than 45 minutes only once, in a 2-0 loss at Nottingham Forest.
Despite these struggles, Phillips’ statistics from his time at West Ham show some promise. Only two other Premier League players in his position, Bernardo Silva (3.4) and Rodri (2.63) of Manchester City, surpassed Phillips’ 2.58 progressive runs per ninety minutes.
