Kalvin Phillips on verge of Ipswich Town loan move

Exclusive: Midfielder aiming to get his career back on track after enduring a torrid loan spell at West Ham last season

Ipswich Town are finalising a deal to land Kalvin Phillips on a season-long loan and securing a statement signing for the newly promoted Premier League club.
Phillips was an unused substitute for Manchester City in the Community Shield at the weekend and the title-holders are close to an agreement that will allow the 28-year-old to leave for another spell away from the Etihad Stadium.
He moved to West Ham last season on a six-month deal in an attempt to force his way back into the England squad for the Euros after losing his place in Gareth Southgate’s team.
Playing under Kieran McKenna this season, in Ipswich’s return to the top flight after 22 years, represents a fresh start for the player who could not break into Pep Guardiola’s plans two years after moving from Leeds United.
In his first season at City he started just two Premier League matches, then in the last campaign only started an EFL Cup match and a Champions League dead rubber before moving to West Ham.
Phillips’ goal has been to play regularly and return to the England fold, having been voted their player of the year in 2020/21 for his displays at Euro 2020 when he helped Southgate’s team reach the final.
Ipswich have been active in the transfer market since promotion, turning Omari Hutchinson’s loan into a permanent deal and adding Liam Delap, also from City, and Burnley goalkeeper Aro Muric, another player who was coached by Guardiola at City.
Meanwhile, City have been rocked by Oscar Bobb suffering a fracture in his leg during training which will see him miss the start of the season and could sideline the Norway forward for months.
With Julian Alvarez leaving for Atletico Madrid, it leaves Guardiola short of another option heading into the start of the club’s title defence, although Savinho has arrived as a signing from Troyes.