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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Isaac Johnson

George Ezra reacts to Kalvin Phillips' Man City initiation song revelation

Kalvin Phillips has responded to social media comments from George Ezra after revealing he sang one of the pop artist's ballads during his Manchester City ‘initiation test’.

Following his transfer from Leeds, the England star took to the pitch as a City player for the first time on Wednesday as the club ran out 2-1 winners over Club America in the USA. As is now tradition within football when a player signs for a new club, they are ‘required’ to sing an initiation song.

For Phillips — and fellow new recruits Erling Haaland, Stefan Ortega and Julian Alvarez — this happened for them during City’s pre-season tour of the States. Phillips revealed on Wednesday that the song he chose to sing in front of teammates was Ezra’s breakthrough hit ‘Budapest’.

READ MORE: Kalvin Phillips reveals songs he and Man City new boys Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez sang

He also detailed that Haaland chose ‘Hero’ by Enrique Iglesias while Alvarez sang 'Despacito' by Luis Fonsi. While he couldn’t remember Ortega ’s melody, he recalled how it ended with him swinging his top around.

Ezra himself saw that Phillips had chosen one of his songs and called on the City lynchpin to give another rendition on Twitter, writing: “Let's hear it then @Kalvinphillips.”

Phillips then responded with a retweet of his own, saying: “Haha. Think the original sounds better mate!”

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