Phillips tells Sunderland to ‘definitely’ sign goalkeeper after Baxter update
Kevin Phillips has backed Sunderland to sign Chelsea goalkeeper Nathan Baxter.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the Stadium of Light legend claimed Lee Johnson’s side “need competition in every department” to gain promotion next season.
The Black Cats are in the market for a goalkeeper in the upcoming transfer window to provide competition for current number one Lee Burge.
Football Insider revealed on 2 June that the Black Cats are looking at signing Baxter either permanently or a loan deal.
The 22-year-old spent last season on loan at Accrington Stanley and impressed in his 19 appearances, in which he kept eight clean sheets.
Baxter is yet to make a senior appearance for Chelsea, where he has two years remaining on his contract.
When asked for his thoughts on the potential arrival of Baxter this summer, Phillips told Football Insider‘s Dylan Childs:
“It is so important that you have healthy competition in all positions of the pitch.
“The goalkeeping position is one that it often overlooked but it can be very easy to get complacent as a goalkeeper.
“If no-one is challenging you, you can start making mistakes. We saw that in the first leg of the play-offs against Lincoln City.
“You definitely need competition in every department if you want to get promoted and Lee Johnson will know that.
“Someone like Baxter coming in can only be a good thing in my eyes.”
In other news, Kevin Phillips fears 22-year-old may quit Sunderland this summer to re-join former club amid confirmed news.