Premier League manager hints he would be willing to sell £42m player to Liverpool

Liverpool may have brought in four new midfielders during the January transfer window but they are still on the market for one more as January approaches.

Following the departure of Fabinho, the Reds have been searching for the perfect replacement and have been linked to several players ahead of the upcoming transfer window. One name that has been thrown into the mix is Kalvin Phillips, who has struggled to establish himself at Manchester City since joined in 2022.

The England international went from being a key part of the Leeds United team, to spending a lot of time on the bench under Pep Guardiola. As he weighs up his options, Phillips has been linked a Man City exit and he has recently revealed he will consider a move to gain more time on the pitch.

A number of clubs are monitoring Phillips' situation and Liverpool are reportedly also on the trail ahead of the January window.

Of course, one thing to consider is whether Guardiola would be willing to let one of his players leave to join a rival team, but he has admitted this is actually not a concern for him.

The Spaniard, who has spearheaded City to five Premier League titles, referred to Raheem Sterling as a direct example. Guardiola said he would have 'never ever' stood in the forward's way ahead of his move to Chelsea.

"From my point of view, I have said this to the club many times. I give my opinion to the club and they decide if the transfer suits for both sides and the player.

"Why? I think that means you are a small club [if you block a transfer]. Big clubs, they don’t care. They make decisions for the benefit of all three parties, players and both clubs — and the agents sometimes. So really it is not a problem.‌

"If they want to go to Chelsea or [Manchester] United or, I don’t know, Liverpool, whatever. What is the problem? They are happy to be there and the club is happy with the transfer. The other club is happy with the amount of money they spend, so it is fine. Another player will come to us and we keep going in a good spirit and a good mood."

Guardiola's confidence in his team and attitude towards player sales could be a huge boost in Liverpool's pursuit of Phillips. During the summer, City parted ways with the likes of Riyad Mahrez, Aymeric Laporte, and even Cole Palmer, who is now shining for Chelsea. In the same window, the club brought in replacements for almost every player who left.

Phillips signed for City just last year for £42 million and his first season brought just 21 appearances across all competitions. The 27-year-old has been limited to one start in the Carabao Cup this campaign and has come off the bench just four times in the league so far.