Juventus Football Director Cristiano Giuntoli has a meeting scheduled with Manchester City officials to discuss a move for Kalvin Phillips.
The 27-year-old has been a benchwarmer since making the switch from Leeds United to the Etihad Stadium in 2022. Pep Guardiola has recently admitted that the player is surplus to requirements at the club.
So with a spot in England’s Euro 2024 squad hanging in the balance, the midfielder will be desperate to find himself a new club in January where he can play on a regular basis.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Giuntoli will sit at the table with his Man City counterparts to understand the feasibility of the operation.
The source expects the meeting to take place this week since the Cityzens will travel to Saudi Arabia to participate in the Club World Cup next week.
As the report notes, Newcastle, Tottenham and even Manchester United are all vying for the player’s services.
Yet, Man City would prefer to send the player abroad rather than bolster the ranks of a direct Premier League foe.
Therefore, Juventus would try to seize the opportunity and lure Phillips to the Italian peninsula. However, the Bianconeri are only willing to make an initial loan bid in January with the option to buy at the end of the season.
Moreover, the source discusses how Phillips would fit within Max Allegri’s tactical system.
The Englishman can operate as a defensive midfielder in the current 3-5-2 formation, thus allowing Manuel Locatelli to push up the field as a box-to-box midfielder.
Alternatively, Phillips can join Locatelli in the double pivot with Adrien Rabiot charging forward, thus forming a 3-2-3-2 formation which is becoming increasingly popular in recent years.
