Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has now admitted his Elland Road team must sign centre-backs this summer amid interest in a transfer for Liverpool outcast Nat Phillips.
Farke has overseen a major rebuild since taking charge of Leeds following their relegation to the Championship. The Whites have let a raft of players leave West Yorkshire without having Premier League football to offer. But their departures have exhausted the German’s options.
So, Leeds have explored the possible transfer of Phillips with his future at Liverpool unclear, per the Liverpool Echo. The 26-year-old is also a target of the 2022/23 Eredivisie champions Feyenoord this summer. But no team has yet shown a willingness to pay the Reds’ price tag.
Leeds have already held talks with Phillips’ agent about his transfer
Liverpool want £10m to sell Phillips, with the Leeds transfer target under contract at Anfield until June 2025. Their valuation has so far priced the Bolton-born enforcer out of any move. Phillips is open to leaving Liverpool this summer, per the Daily Mail, if the Reds agree a deal.
Elland Road chiefs are aware of what it will take Leeds to secure Phillips’ transfer having held talks with the Liverpool outcast’s agent, per the Yorkshire Evening Post. The Whites spoke to his representative on the phone in June, shortly before naming Farke as their new manager.
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But Liverpool’s price tag has so far kept Phillips in the wilderness at the AXA Training Centre. Phillips is not a part of Jurgen Klopp’s plans having missed out on a spot in their pre-season tour squad. He also only played five games for 232 minutes through the 2022/23 campaign.
What has Farke said about transfers with the Liverpool outcast wanted?
Phillips might remain an option for Leeds under Farke, who has stated that the Elland Road club must secure transfers if they want to compete for promotion out of the Championship.
“It’s always about what wishes and what is realistic to do,” he said, via quotes by Leeds Live. “So, I think we have to have to say 100% we need many, many positions. We can’t rely, if you want to be [an] ambitious club, on just Ethan Ampadu in the centre of the park.”
Farke added: “We definitely need additions, also at the centre-back position. It will be a long season. I know the Championship is the toughest league in the world and at the moment we just have three centre-halves. So, we need to do a little bit.”
Only Ethan Ampadu has joined Leeds this summer after leaving Chelsea for £7m, rising up to £10m. While Rodrigo, Brenden Aaronson, Marc Roca, Robin Koch, Tyler Roberts, Joel Robles, Rasmus Kristensen, Adam Forshaw and Weston McKennie have departed Elland Road so far.