Exclusive: Kalvin Phillips stance Revealed after Leeds offer rejected & PL bids readied

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Published on:

10 Jul 2019, 4:30 am

By Wayne Veysey

Kalvin Phillips is holding out for a far more lucrative contract offer from Leeds United if he is to snub Premier League interest this summer, Football Insider can reveal.

Football Insider broke the news on Monday afternoon that the midfielder, 23, had knocked back Leeds' opening offer following initial talks over a new deal.

The two parties are set to return to the negotiating table but a Leeds source has told Football Insider that Phillips wants a deal that lifts him over the £30,000-a-week mark.

United's top earners are currently Kiko Casilla, the goalkeeper signed from Real Madrid in January, and Patrick Bamford, the striker signed for £7million from Middlesbrough last summer.

They are both on deals worth £30,000-a-week or more, and Phillips' camp believes his status is now such that he deserves pay parity at the very least with the pair.

Leeds' opening offer for the midfielder was well short of that sum, which has opened the door to the string of Premier League clubs keen to sign him this summer.

Football Insider revealed last month that Leeds have knocked back an approach already for Phillips from Villa, while there is also interest from Wolves and Bournemouth.

Formal bids are expected for the Elland Road star if talks between the player and the club over a contract extension fail to result in an agreement.

Phillips has told friends he wants to remain at his boyhood club, where he has progressed from the youth ranks to become the club's most valuable player.

Manager Marcelo Bielsa is also a big admirer of the academy product and is very keen to build the team around him against next season.

Phillips' current contract expires in the summer of 2021.

In other Leeds United news, Danny Mills has told Football Insider his information from the club is a new defender will be signed "fairly soon".

Leeds United