Leeds have opened talks to sign Phillips for £50m

When Leeds United played in the Premier League, fans were lucky enough to see the quality of midfielder Kalvin Phillips continuously.

The young Englishman, who is a product of the club’s academy, has been a regular at the heart of the Whites’ team for many years, and has given us an excellent presence.

His incredible passing ability, along with his amazing ability to win the ball, made him a fan favorite – and even led to him playing for the England national team.

However, he would leave a £45m deal to join Manchester City back in the summer of 2023, ending his 12-year association with the club.

There’s no denying that his career hasn’t taken off since his switch to the Etihad, but management are in the market for their next version of the fan favorite this summer.

Leeds are making inquiries to find a Premier League sensation

In the past few days, Leeds have stepped up their efforts to find a new midfielder, and are looking at Sporting CP star Hidemasa Morita.

It is reported that Daniel Farke’s side have already offered the 30-year-old a contract before the summer, and his contract will expire at the end of June.

Although no deal has yet been reached between the clubs, the signs look good for a move, with the Japanese international likely to be the club’s first summer signing.

However, Morita is not the only player currently on the hierarchy’s radar, with Wolverhampton Wanderers star Joao Gomes another target being considered.

According to TEAMtalk, Leeds have already completed the relegation zone in terms of signing the Brazilian in the summer.

The report also claims that the 25-year-old is expected to leave Molineux after collapsing, with Atletico Madrid again in the running for him.

Although no fee has been mentioned for his signing, he was previously pegged at £50m.

Why Gomes will be Leeds’ next Phillips

Phillips’ departure at the heart of the club played a major role in Leeds suffering relegation to the Championship in 2022/23, leading to Farke needing to rebuild the squad.

During two years in England’s second division, the German recruited the likes of Ao Tanaka and Ethan Ampadu – the latter of whom now captain the club.

Both have been instrumental in the Whites’ return to England’s top flight and have often been seen in midfield together in recent months.

The summer arrivals of Anton Stach and Sean Longstaff bolstered the midfield, but that could change with any deal for Gomes.

Despite losing to Wolves this season, the Brazilian has been a standout player for Rob Edwards’ side – on and off the ball.

He has shown similar qualities to Phillips in recent months, with the 25-year-old able to emulate the Englishman’s success at Elland Road.

Gomes, called “one of the best midfielders” by teammate Matheus Cunha, has completed 86% of the passes he has attempted this campaign.

Such a figure is similar to that of Phillips, who often catches the attention of Yorkshire with his great ability to pick out his teammates – either with a short or a long pass.

He also completed 1.4 dribbles per 90 this campaign – with a success rate of 65% – with both teams ranking him in the top 10% of midfielders in the Premier League.

However, Gomes’ ability to win the ball back to his team is arguably his best asset, as evidenced by his impressive 7.2 ground duels average of 90 wins this campaign.

Like his playmaking ability, such a number puts him above other players in the league, and puts him in the top 10% of players in this division.

Other tallies, such as 12.3 defensive contributions per 90 and 3.4 tackles per 90, only add to his incredible ability to win the ball – something Phillips is known for in Yorkshire.

It is unclear how much the Brazilian’s deal would cost this summer, but there is no doubt that such a move would greatly improve the options available to Farke.

There is no doubt that the pressure will be on him to impress at Elland Road, with the likes of Ampadu, Stach and Tanaka all flourishing under the manager’s guidance this season.

However, if he were to reach Phillips’ standards in any move, such a move would be a deal and one that would allow the Whites to move up the table again in the Premier League.