(Credit: Hasan Karim, Breaking Media)

Pete O'Rourke, Transfer Correspondent

Sun 3 August 2025 10:00, UK

Manchester City are prepared to take a “huge hit” by allowing Kalvin Phillips to make a move back to Leeds United this summer, sources have told Football Insider.

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Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, senior correspondent Pete O’Rourke revealed what his sources have told him about Phillips’ potential return to his hometown club.

Phillips is at the very top of a long list of players Pep Guardiola wants Man City to sell this summer, and newly-promoted Leeds have been heavily linked with bringing their former midfield lynchpin “home”.

Mick Brown told Football Insider on Tuesday that Phillips’ “secret is out” and he wants to return to Elland Road this summer, but Man City will have to take a massive financial hit in order to sanction such a deal.

Football Insider sources have said that Man City would be prepared to cut their losses in order to move Phillips on this summer, with any loan or permanent move to Leeds likely to be heavily subsidised.

Sources have also told Football Insider that Phillips backs himself to win back his England place if playing regularly next season, and that could come in a Leeds shirt if they change their transfer policy.

Phillips became an England regular after Leeds’ promotion to the Premier League in 2020

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Football Insider revealed last month that Phillips’ exit from Man City will have to wait until the end of August at best, after the 29-year-old underwent Achilles surgery which could jeopardise his Leeds move.

Speaking on the new Inside Track podcast, O’Rourke said that despite various setbacks since he left Leeds for Man City in 2022, Phillips would still receive a warm welcome if he does return to Elland Road.

“They will be taking a huge hit, Man City, and I think they’ll be prepared to take that as well”, he told Football Insider.

“He will still have an eye on that England squad for next summer’s World Cup as well, so to have any chance of breaking into Thomas Tuchel’s plans, he needs to be back playing.

“Leeds will be a no-brainer, because he’ll be welcomed back with open arms by the fans and it’s a club he loves as well.

“If Leeds do change their transfer policy and look at bringing Kalvin Phillips back, let’s see, but the main thing for Phillips right now is to get fit and find a club where he can start playing again.”

Leeds have already strengthened in midfield with the £17million signing of Hoffenheim’s Anton Stach (Credit: Manh Tung, Breaking Media)

Phillips spent his first season at Man City warming the bench for the most part as Guardiola’s side won the treble, was loaned out to West Ham midway through his second and spell all of last term at Ipswich.

Tijjani Reijnders has since arrived and been given Phillips’ number four shirt, leaving no doubt in the midfielder’s mind that he couldn’t be further from Guardiola‘s plans and simply must depart this summer.

Leeds have already bolstered their midfield with the signings of Sean Longstaff and Anton Stach and will not carry passengers next term, but with a green light to re-sign one of their greatest academy products, the Phillips saga still has some distance left to run.

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