Pep Guardiola reveals possibility of Manchester City return for West Ham midfielder

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Published on 2024-01-29 17:30:00

West Ham’s latest January signing, Kalvin Phillips, still holds out hope for a career at Manchester City, according to his Etihad Stadium boss, Pep Guardiola.

The England international midfielder recently finalized a six-month loan move to the London Stadium in the hopes of securing improved opportunities ahead of the upcoming European Championships in Germany.

As part of the agreement, the Hammers have an option to buy Phillips on a permanent deal from Manchester City, should they meet the Premier League champions’ £40 million valuation of the player.

While the terms of the agreement may indicate a slim chance of Phillips featuring in a Manchester City shirt again, Pep Guardiola has offered a clear indication that this presumption may not be the case.

Speaking during a recent press conference, Guardiola was asked whether it remains possible for Phillips to have a bigger role at Manchester City following his loan spell at West Ham, should he play to a high standard and be a frequent player at the London Stadium.

Guardiola responded, “Yeah, why not? He has to play to make me realize how wrong I was!”

Guardiola continued, “Hopefully he can find the environment to play regularly, and of course, why not come back to Manchester City in a bigger role this summer?!”

Despite Phillips’ restricted opportunities while at Manchester City following his move from Leeds United in the summer of 2022, the 28-year-old did manage to secure himself five trophies.

This included a claim of a Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League double in the final two weeks of the 2022/23 season, as well as the FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup during the first half of the ongoing season.

However, despite Guardiola’s claim of Phillips potentially having a future at Manchester City, it is understood that Etihad officials will seek a replacement and more solid back-up to Rodri during the upcoming summer transfer window.

Read Original article on City Xtra