Sources: Newcastle United pull plug on Kalvin Phillips deal – and it’s because of Eddie Howe, not money
Newcastle United have cooled their interest in Man City midfielder Kalvin Phillips due to Eddie Howe’s concerns, sources have told Football Insider.
The Magpies are on the lookout for a new midfielder this month following a number of injuries and Sandro Tonali’s gambling suspension.
Phillips, 28, is available with Football Insider revealing on Tuesday (16 January) that City would prefer Phillips to leave permanently this month.
Newcastle have been linked with a loan deal for Phillips with City demanding a fee of £7.5million, but it is understood that the Tyneside club have turned away from the deal.
Sources have told Football Insider that Howe was instrumental in the decision, with the Newcastle boss not pushing for the transfer due to concerns that Phillips is not the right type of player.
Phillips has struggled to settle in at City since his £42million move to Manchester in 2022.
The England international has made just 31 appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side, scoring once.
Phillips has played just 318 minutes of football for City this season across all competitions with 10 appearances to his name.
His last Premier League outing came back in November when he played 19 minutes in the 6-1 win over Bournemouth.
An exit from the Etihad now looks inevitable with multiple sides interested in a loan deal until the end of the season.
Football Insider revealed on Saturday (20 January) that West Ham are now at the ‘front of the queue’ to sign Phillips with David Moyes pushing to complete the deal.
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