£42m Leeds United transfer snubs Newcastle United for Manchester City

Phillips joined Manchester City from Leeds United last summer for £42million but has been limited to just two Premier League starts in his first season at the club. Both of those starts came in the final matches of the campaign with City’s third consecutive Premier League title effectively secured.

Phillips also started a further two matches in the domestic cup competitions for City but was largely used as a substitute during the 2022-23 campaign. Given the England midfielder’s lack of minutes at Man City, Newcastle reportedly identified him as a summer transfer target as Eddie Howe looks to bolster his options in the middle of the park.

But The Telegraph have claimed that the 27-year-old intends to remain in Manchester and push for a more regular spot in the first-team under Pep Guardiola. A shoulder injury prevented Phillips making any real impact during his first few months at the club as he played just one minute of Premier League football prior to the World Cup break.

Phillips has been capped 26 times by England and played a crucial role in the Three Lions’ Euro 2020 runners-up side. He played over 200 times for Leeds over eight seasons, including two in the Premier League before joining Man City last summer.

The summer transfer window opens for Premier League clubs on Wednesday, June 14 and will run until Friday, September 1.