Nat Phillips should still be a Liverpool player by the time the transfer window closes on Thursday night.
That’s according to Goal, who claim that Phillips is ‘likely’ to stay at Liverpool beyond the passing of the deadline.
However, it’s reportedly not a done deal just yet. It’s claimed that the centre-back may still have ‘suitors’ who come forward over the next three days or so.
But at this point in time, the expectation is reportedly that Phillips will stay for now.
Phillips clings on at Liverpool yet again
It has been another turbulent summer for Phillips. Having enjoyed a successful loan spell with Bournemouth in the second-half of last season, many had expected him to leave Liverpool.
That would probably include the player himself, too. As far back as June, Phillips’ words had indicated that he was preparing himself to leave Anfield this summer.
From that point onwards though, things became more and more unclear. Liverpool reportedly lowered their asking price from £15m to £10m at some point. Despite that, they always seemed unsure as to whether they actually wanted to sell him.
Jurgen Klopp reportedly couldn’t decide what to do with Phillips, and took him along for the tour of Asia in July.
Still, it was pretty much seen as a formality that the 25-year-old would depart. The interest was said to be there, but for whatever reason, no-one made that concrete.
Then, Ibrahima Konate got injured on the eve of the season. Although the exact nature of the Frenchman’s injury has never been fully detailed, Liverpool announced that he would miss the start of the season.
After Joel Matip also succumbed to injury, Liverpool knew they’d need Phillips again. And so, here we are. Having already started one Premier League game and been on the bench for two more, he’s back in the fold.
Matip is now back from injury, which will reduce Phillips’ involvement. But with Sepp van den Berg now on his way out and Konate still injured, he’ll feel there’s enough there to justify staying put before reassessing in January.
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