Kalvin Phillips has been urged to snub a move to Manchester United and instead link up with Steven Gerrard at Aston Villa.
The midfielder has impressed for Leeds United since breaking into their senior side back in 2014. He is now a key player at Elland Road after starring in the Whites' first season back in the Premier League last year and at Euro 2020 with England.
His second campaign in the top-flight has been badly disrupted by injury, with a hamstring problem restricting him to just 12 appearances in the league this term. But that has not stopped several teams making their interest in the England international clear, with United thought to be one of the frontrunners.
The Red Devils have made signing a new central midfielder one of their top priorities for the summer transfer window. Phillips is a leading candidate to boost that area of the United squad, with Fred, Scott McTominay and Nemanja Matic failing to impress amid a torrid campaign at Old Trafford.
But United are not the only team who are eyeing a move for the 26-year-old, with Villa also making their interest in the midfielder clear. Boss Gerrard made four signings in his first transfer window at Villa Park in January, but has made it clear he wants to revamp his squad further.
His target is to bring European football back to the Midlands and to do that he will need to bring in players with the quality of Phillips. And former FA Cup winner David James believes that ambition makes Villa a better option than United if the Leeds star looks to move on.
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“I do believe Aston Villa and Manchester United should compete for Kalvin Phillips’ signature if he becomes available this summer. He’s one of my favourite players and that’s not solely due to his footballing talent, but he’s a wonderful human being too," James told GGRecon.
“The lure would naturally be Manchester United because of the size of the club but this is Kalvin Phillips who plays for Leeds United. But I also think playing under Steven Gerrard in that Aston Villa squad, and adding to that where Stevie wants to take them, I believe would be the right stepping stone for Kalvin Phillips."
Gerrard has been touted as a potential replacement for Jurgen Klopp at Anfield, with a close eye being kept on his time at Villa. And James believes that Phillips could earn a similar move by impressing under the former England captain.
"I don’t want to insinuate that Aston Villa are a stepping stone, but Gerrard will realistically want to manage a team that’s eventually competing for major honours, whether that’s Liverpool or another club. Kalvin could become a member of Stevie’s group at Villa and then if he does well then he can go with Stevie to the next club he moves onto," he added.
"Once Stevie likes a player then he sticks with them, which is something you can sense from his relationships. I can see Stevie bringing success to Villa and that would be one exciting bus for Kalvin Phillips to be on.”
