Nat Phillips will play for Bournemouth until the end of the season after leaving Liverpool on loan. It’s a deal that will leave the Reds hoping for £15m.
Bournemouth confirmed on Monday that Nat Phillips will play for them on loan until the end of the season. It marks the second time Phillips has left Liverpool temporarily, having done so in the 2019/20 campaign with Stuttgart.
The centre-back returned from that spell to play a significant role for the Reds, of course. Injuries last season crippled the squad at the back, leaving them without any senior centre-backs. Phillips would step up, particularly in the later parts of the season, to help Liverpool secure a third-placed finish in the Premier League.
That saw Phillips’ stock rise considerably, with Jurgen Klopp labelling him ‘unbelievable’ in how he’s progressed. But Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez all returned over the summer, creating a real problem for the 24-year-old.
Ibrahima Konate joining from RB Leipzig made things even more difficult for Phillips. That meant Liverpool reportedly had him up for sale in August at around £15m – though, no club met that price.
Nat Phillips joins Bournemouth
No one wanted Phillips for £15m, despite his efforts in the Premier League last season. Clearly, teams want to see more and the Championship gives teams a wonderful opportunity to do so.
We believe Phillips is worth that price tag – he just needs opportunities. This is a solid move from Liverpool, then, who will hope their player can lift his value to that level with a good spell.
Phillips is more than capable of delivering consistent, quality performances in the Premier League, let alone the Championship. At only 25 still, the chance is absolutely there for Liverpool to get their money.
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