West Ham join race for Kalvin Phillips as reason for Man City axe emerges

West Ham have reportedly become the latest club to join the race to sign Kalvin Phillips.

That’s according to a recent report from Football Insider, who claims the Hammers have joined Newcastle United in pursuit of the out-of-favour Manchester City midfielder.

Despite joining the Cityzens from Leeds United just over 12 months ago, Phillips, 27, has failed to become part of Pep Guardiola’s first-team plans.

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The Spanish mastermind is thought to have concerns over the Englishman’s athleticism and speed which hamper his ability to cover the ground in order to help prevent counter-attacks.

Consequently, the treble-winners are now preparing for his exit in January which could be a loan or a permanent sale.

David Moyes has a long-standing interest in Phillips having seen a £50 million bid rejected just six months before he joined City (Sky Sports).

Newcastle are also heavily linked with a January approach as Eddie Howe seeks to find cover for the suspended Sandro Tonali following the Italian’s illegal betting activity while playing for AC Milan.

During his first, and likely last, season at the Etihad, Phillips, who has four-and-a-half-years left on his contract, has featured in 29 games, in all competitions. Just two of those appearances have been Premier League starts though.