'No rush' - Liverpool reject £4m Trabzonspor bid amid £8m valuation for player wanted by Burnley

Liverpool have reportedly rejected a £4m bid for Nat Phillips from Trabzonspor.

Reports over the weekend suggested that interest from the Turkish side was concrete as Phillips enters the final year of his contract at the club. James Pearce of the Athletic claimed that the valuation that the club were looking for was £8m - a figure which Trabzonspor failed to meet.

His latest report today has confirmed such interest, as well as the tabled bid that Liverpool have rejected. Writing on the Athletic’s live blog, Pearce said: ‘Liverpool have rejected a bid of £4million ($5.1m) from Turkish club Trabzonspor for defender Nat Phillips. The 27-year-old centre-back is set to leave Anfield this summer after entering the final year of his contract.

‘However, Liverpool value him at around £8million and are in no rush to sell. Phillips, who returned to pre-season at Liverpool last week, is also attracting interest from a number of Championship clubs, including Burnley. He is highly rated by new Burnley boss Scott Parker having had a productive loan spell under him at Bournemouth in 2021-22.’

His last performance for Liverpool came in the 1-0 FA Cup third-round replay victory against Wolves on January 17, 2023. It would be a deal that represents pure profit for the club which helps with profit and sustainability as well as giving him the chance to become a starter elsewhere after a difficult few years struggling to establish himself on loan.

Having graduated through their academy system in 2019, he was suddenly and surprisingly thrust into the limelight in the 2020/21 season when Liverpool’s centre-back options were all injured as a defensive crisis loomed under Jurgen Klopp. Phillips formed an unlikely partnership with Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and fellow graduate Rhys Williams.

That saw his stock rise but he spent the following seasons out on loan at Stuttgart, AFC Bournemouth, Celtic and Cardiff. Now 27, and in the final year of his deal, a move could certainly occur this summer as Liverpool already have four senior centre-backs, as well as youngster Sepp van der Berg, and are linked with more additions.