Kalvin Phillips race 'over' as ex-Leeds United man makes huge transfer decision

West Ham United have won the race to sign Manchester City and former Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips. That's according to Alan Nixon, who reports Phillips is expected to join the Hammers on loan after opting for a move to east London.

Phillips has been at the centre of arguably the longest running transfer saga of the January window after struggling for minutes with Manchester City over the first half of the campaign. The midfielder has made just four appearances in the Premier League so far this season and he knows he needs game time in order to get his career back on track and make sure of his spot in Gareth Southgate's Euro 2024 plans this summer.

As such, a host of clubs have been linked to his signature with Newcastle United, Everton, Crystal Palace, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid all rumoured to be keen at one point or another throughout the month so far. But, it seems West Ham have won out, with Phillips set to complete the temporary imminently.

The Hammers do have options in the middle of the park and Phillips will be looking to compete for a spot with James Ward-Prowse, Edson Alvarez and Tomas Soucek over the final few months of the season.

Phillips has struggled to find momentum in his career since leaving Leeds in the summer of 2022. The England international immediately found it hard to break into Pep Guardiola's plans at the Etihad Stadium and while his first season at the club saw him pick up Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup winners' medals, Phillips made just 21 appearances in all competitions.

This season his chances in the side have declined even more, with the 28-year-old managing a combined total of 318 minutes on the field over 10 outings in all competitions. The move away from the Etihad certainly suits Phillips, then, as he strives to re-build his reputation and confidence.