Aston Villa are still interested in signing Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips in the summer transfer window, according to an update from journalist Pete O'Rourke.
Where is Kalvin Phillips?
The Englishman traded Leeds United for City last summer, having earned himself a high-profile move after shining for both the Whites and England. While he has seen as potential key player for the reigning Premier League champions, things haven't got to plan for him in his first year at the Etihad, as he's barely even been seen in top flight action.
Injury problems have hampered Phillips for much of the campaign, as well as other top midfielders being ahead of him in the pecking order, and he has only played 102 minutes of league action across seven cameo appearances, with none coming from the start.
The former Leeds favourite's lack of playing time has led to speculation surrounding his future at City, with a quickfire exit potentially happening this summer. Villa have been linked with a move for him in the recent past and now a fresh update has emerged.
Could midfielder end up at Villa?
Speaking to Give Me Sport, O'Rourke claimed that Villa are still keen on the idea of Phillips joining the club during the upcoming summer window:
"If Phillips becomes available, I'm sure there will be a number of clubs who will be ready to sign the England international. Aston Villa have held a long-term interest in Phillips.
"I think they're the ones who first moved for the Leeds midfielder a couple of years ago, but he decided to stay at Leeds. I'm sure that interest hasn't gone away."
Phillips could be a perfect summer signing for Villa, proving to be the type of player who can take Unai Emery's midfield to another level. Admittedly, this season has been a disappointment for him and his stock has fallen a little, but this is a player who has been described as "superb" by Spain and Barcelona legend Xavi, which speaks volumes.
The 26-time capped England international could be a strong box-to-box presence for the Villans, combining tenacious tackling with quality in possession, having averaged three tackles per game in the EFL Cup and enjoyed a 91% pass completion rate in the league this season.
Should City be willing to let Phillips leave, Villa should do all they can to sign him, with the midfielder very much in his prime years and likely to remain that way until his early 30s.