Bournemouth manager Scott Parker has admitted that it’s unlikely that he’ll be able to sign Liverpool defender Nat Phillips.
Parker was speaking to the Bournemouth Echo before taking his side to Anfield tomorrow. The manager said that due to Phillips’ increased role for Jurgen Klopp, it’ll be tough to sign the Liverpool player.
“I think that’s probably a difficult one. Nat’s at a football team that when you’re there, you probably don’t want to leave. That’s the facts. When you’re at the top clubs, you don’t want to be jumping out of there too quick, certainly when you see opportunity,” he said. “At this moment, Nat is right in there. He’s played some games really as well.”
Parker praised Phillips for the role he played in getting Bournemouth back to the Premier League last season. But although there is obvious interest, he isn’t optimistic of the 25-year-old making a comeback.
“He was a massive part of what we did, back-end last year. We brought him in in January and he was a driving force for us in getting promoted. An unbelievable professional, exceptional player in his moments. So who knows? But certainly at this moment, I’m sure he’s happy putting the red shirt on and playing for Liverpool,” said Parker.
Phillips back in the fold at Liverpool
Parker’s words would seem to all-but-confirm that Phillips will still be at Liverpool once the transfer window closes next week. There are reportedly other clubs watching the centre-back, but Bournemouth’s interest was the strongest.
Perhaps having sounded out Phillips, the player has indicated that he senses an opportunity at Liverpool.
And well he might. Few would have envisaged the defender getting a Premier League start this season. But just two games in, that’s exactly what’s happened.
It could well happen again, too. As things stand, Joe Gomez and Virgil Van Dijk are the only players ahead of him in the pecking order. An injury to either, or perhaps even to Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Phillips will be in again.
In that landscape, it’s easy to see why Phillips would want to stay put. Klopp is a known admirer of his and won’t hesitate to put him in if needs be.
Van Dijk and Gomez also can’t play every game. The risk of injury for either is too much of a gamble to run them into the ground in the absence of Ibrahima Konate and Joel Matip.
Although both of those players should be back before too long, Phillips must be backing himself to make an impact in the time in-between.
Beyond that, it’s still likely that he’ll be moved on in January. The Bolton-born stopper has survived seemingly certain exile at Liverpool before, though. It looks like he’s about to do so again.
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