Pep Guardiola now shares whether Manchester City will replace Kalvin Phillips or not

Redaction Simon Brett with Billy Meyers
Published on 2024-01-25 17:00:00

Pep Guardiola recently commented on whether Manchester City will find a replacement for Kalvin Phillips. He made these remarks during his press conference leading up to Friday’s FA Cup match against Tottenham.

The 53-year-old confirmed that Phillips had gone to London for a medical evaluation with West Ham but indicated that it is unlikely that the team’s director of football, Txiki Begiristain, will acquire a replacement for Phillips. When asked if Manchester City would be signing a replacement for Phillips, Guardiola responded by saying that he did not think they would replace Kalvin.

In essence, there isn’t a compelling need for the Citizens to find a replacement for the 28-year-old. Phillips has only played 89 minutes of Premier League football this season, appearing in four substitute roles. Guardiola has often preferred Rico Lewis and Mateo Kovacic over him to play alongside Rodri. Phillips has only started two games – one in the UEFA Champions League match against Red Star Belgrade, and the other in the Carabao Cup loss to Newcastle.

The squad’s dynamics will not change significantly even with the Leeds-born midfielder heading to West Ham. Based on Guardiola’s comments, it seems unlikely that a move to sign Alan Varela from Porto will occur this month, unless Guardiola is keeping his intentions under wraps. According to a report from Bolavip, there were indications that Manchester City was considering Varela as a replacement for Phillips, with Liverpool also showing interest. However, Guardiola’s latest remarks suggest that such a transfer will not take place soon.

Nevertheless, it is imperative to monitor developments at Manchester City, as plans can change. Guardiola’s comments hint that moves to acquire new players will happen after the January transfer window.

Read Original article on Manchester City News