Carlton Cole has argued that Kalvin Phillips will be reduced to a "back-up dancer" role at Manchester City. The two clubs are understood to have agreed a transfer in the region of £45million for the England international, with the move just dependent now on a successful medical and the Leeds-born, 26-year-old agreeing personal terms.
Seven-capped, ex-England forward Cole believes that Phillips will be playing second fiddle to Spanish international Rodri in the Premier League champions' starting line-up. Only Joao Cancelo played more outfield Premier League games than Rodri's 33 last term for Pep Guardiola's men.
His form has relegated Fernandinho - his main rival for City's midfield anchor role - to stand-in status during the last two seasons under Guardiola. The ex-Brazil captain was limited to just 10 league starts and, after playing the full 90 in August's 1-0 defeat at Tottenham, was only used for three minutes against Chelsea in September and never again trusted in the subsequent contests against fellow Champions League qualifiers Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs.
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Fernandinho, 37, has now left the Etihad after nine years but Cole reckons Phillips will be assuming his supporting role, rather than ousting Rodri out of the picture - at least for the foreseeable future. That could be a difficult situation for a player who Cole reasons has attained "main man" treatment at Elland Road and was named England's 2020/21 Player of the Year in recognition of the role he played as the team reached the final of the 12-month delayed Euro 2020 tournament.
Speaking about Phillips' Etihad outlook on talkSPORT, Cole said: "He's not getting into the first XI - not just yet. I think it will be a work in progress.
"When you look at Rodri, he's unbelievable. He's world class, isn't he?
"So, he will be the starter in that system they play but, then, you're going to need a great Premier League player to back him up as well, just in case Rodri gets injured. I don't wish that on anybody but they have to have cover that is suitable and I wouldn't say that Kalvin Phillips is not that guy.
"I think he is that guy, but the way I see it is that he's gone from being the main man at Leeds to being a kind of back-up dancer. He's not going to be the main man."
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