Man City outcast Kalvin Phillips completes surprise Championship move on deadline day

Kalvin Phillips has joined Sheffield United on loan from Manchester City for the remainder of the season.

It marks Phillips’ return to Championship football, having last played in the second tier with Leeds United in their triumphant 2019/20 season where they won the league.

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Phillips has featured just once for City this season, which was a seven-minute cameo in a 2-0 win over Huddersfield Town in the third round of the Carabao Cup.

The defensive midfielder has endured a torrid time at the Etihad since he moved to City from Leeds in 2022.

Phillips has started only four matches for City following his transfer, which was estimated to be £42million.

His last Premier League appearance under Pep Guardiola came in November 2023.

The temporary move to the Blades also represents Phillips’ third in as many seasons.

He spent the second half of the 2023/24 season on loan at West Ham United but managed only 10 appearances across all competitions for the Hammers.

Phillips then joined Ipswich Town for the entirety of the 2024/25 campaign.

Although he enjoyed plenty of minutes, starting in 16 of his 22 total appearances for the Tractor Boys, Phillips was unable to prevent Ipswich’s instant return to the Championship.

Phillips joins a Blades outfit looking to make a late push for the play-offs as they sit 17th in the Championship with 36 points, 11 away from sixth-placed Wrexham.

United sitting in 17th represents a major turnaround from where they were at the start of the season, as seven defeats from their first eight league fixtures left the Blades rooted to the foot of the table.

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The dismal form also prompted the axing of Ruben Selles as Chris Wilder, who led the Blades to the Championship play-off final last season but fell short and soon departed, returned.

Since Wilder was re-installed as the Blades boss, he has overseen 11 wins, three draws and 11 defeats in 25 matches.

Wilder’s side will look to make it three matches unbeaten when they host Oxford United on Tuesday, with kick-off scheduled for 7:45pm.

More to follow…