Jurgen Klopp changes stance on Kalvin Phillips transfer plan as Liverpool rip up blueprint

Liverpool will consider making a move for Kalvin Phillips in January with Manchester City willing to listen to offers for the midfielder.

Jurgen Klopp held an interest in Phillips earlier this summer and while the Merseyside club wanted to formalise this interest, no offer was ever lodged. It came amid a major midfield restructuring at Anfield over the summer.

The Reds agreed on a £110million deal with Brighton to sign Moises Caicedo but the midfielder instead joined Chelsea, where Romeo Lavia also ended up after prolonged interest from the Merseyside club. There was also prolonged interest in Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram, while Sofyan Amrabat opted to join Manchester United.

Alexis MacAllister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch were all signed by the Reds, but it was amid a flood of exits with Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain among those to move on.

Things have not exactly gone to plan for Phillips since he joined City from Leeds a year ago; the midfielder started just four games across all competitions last season and played just 290 minutes – the equivalent of three full matches – across the entirety of the Premier League campaign.

It has been a similar theme for Phillips this term, playing 77 minutes across four substitute appearances in the Premier League and Champions League, while his start against Newcastle in the EFL Cup did not go to plan – City lost that game and Phillips has not started since.

The former Leeds midfielder will be on the market this January and Sky Sports in Germany say that no contact has been made from Bayern Munich, although Liverpool may be an option. Juventus are also believed to be interested in the City player.

Phillips would provide Liverpool some much-needed defensive cover in midfield with Szoboszlai specifically attack-minded and only Endo, who has yet to feature regularly, is viewed as defensive. That would explain the interest in the England international, who is desperate for more game-time.

Following the Reds' 3-0 win over Leeds in September 2021, Klopp revealed shutting down Phillips was central to his game plan in Liverpool's comfortable success at Elland Road. Speaking at the time, the German said: "Our idea was to cut out Phillips, which is important, and to cut out the passes they want to play to find him in the centre and that takes out a bit of their game plan."