Ipswich Town are reportedly considering allowing a “really good” player to leave the club in the January transfer window, following a tough start to the season.
Ipswich eyeing first Premier League win
Kieran McKenna’s side have predictably found life back in the Premier League tough, failing to win any of their opening eight games in the competition this season.
The Tractor Boys have at least managed to pick up four draws in that time, ensuring that they don’t currently sit in the relegation zone, but there is no question that improvements are needed, especially after last weekend’s disappointing 2-0 defeat at home to struggling Everton.
Next up for Ipswich is Saturday’s trip to Brentford in the league, which while clearly far from an easy task, should be viewed as a game where McKenna’s men could pick up their maiden victory of the campaign.
For that to happen, though, a strong team performance will be required away to the 13th-place Bees, with players turning up and performing to the best of their abilities. A key update has now emerged regarding the future of one individual – one that may not bode well for him.
Ipswich could axe "really good" player in January
According to Football Insider, Ipswich could sanction the exit of Kalvin Phillips in the January transfer window, with the Englishman struggling to enjoy a positive impact at Portman Road. The report claims that the club are “amazed” at the 28-year-old’s “lack of mobility and running power”, with senior figures also feeling that his “head is still at Leeds”, and could now terminate his loan contract with Manchester City.
Seeing Phillips departing so soon after arriving on loan at Ipswich would be a real shame, both for the player and the club, but there is no doubt that he isn’t enjoying the impact he would have hoped for back in the summer. The £150,000-a-week Englishman has started five Premier League games, but his displays haven’t been the dominant ones he used to produce so often in a Leeds shirt, with 0.6 aerial duel wins and 0.2 blocks per game coming his way in the league.
The frustrating aspect of Phillips is that he is clearly an extremely effective player when he wants to be, with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola lauding him back in July during pre-season, saying: “Kalvin was really good.
“When he can get the ball and see all of the pitch in front of him he is a really good player. When I have him in smaller spaces we have more problems. With the ball he was really good and helped us a lot. I am very, very pleased with his performance.”
Sadly, Phillips’ career has nosedived fairly spectacularly ever since he departed for City, however, losing not only his place in England’s starting lineup, but also the squad.
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At 28, he still has time to turn things around, but with his performances for Ipswich flattering to deceive, seeing him moved on in January would feel like a damning indictment, having arrived as a key signing.
