Manchester City have signed Leeds midfielder Calvin Phillips.

Premier League champions Manchester City announced on Monday they have signed Leeds United midfielder Kelvin Phillips to a six-year deal.

The 26-year-old defensive midfielder has made 234 appearances for Leeds in eight years, scoring 14 goals and providing 14 assists.

According to press reports, City agreed to include the player for £42 million (US$51 million) plus £3 million in possible bonuses.

Phillips will bolster the team of Spanish manager Pep Guardiola, who also announced on Monday the move of Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus to Arsenal, while reports point to his striker Raheem Sterling approaching Chelsea.

Phillips is making up for the departure of Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho after a successful blue team career that saw him win nine titles in nine seasons.

Phillips became the third new player to join City this summer, after Borussia Dortmund’s young Norwegian striker Erling Haaland and Germany’s Armenia Bielefeld goalkeeper Stefan Ortega Moreno.

Phillips moved to Leeds and was instrumental in their return to the top flight two years ago. He also established himself in the England team, which he represented in the European Cup final last year, reaching the final and in the Championship qualifiers. world in 2022.

Since Haaland was included, Emirati-owned City have expressed a strong desire to continue to control English football as they have won the title four times in the past five years, as well as their unquenchable desire to win the Champions League for the first time in their history. .

Source: AFP