Absent throughout Liverpool’s pre-season friendlies, Nat Phillips is expected to leave the club in the coming weeks after “several” enquiries.
Phillips was pictured at the AXA Training Centre as Liverpool kicked off pre-season a month ago, before then travelling to Germany with the squad.
But after failing to feature against Karlsruher or Greuther Furth, the centre-back was cut for the tour of Singapore and then also missed the final friendly against Darmstadt.
Phillips has been dealing with an ongoing injury, having not been a regular in training towards the end of last season either.
Regardless, the 26-year-old looks set for the exit before deadline day passes on September 1.
Journalist Neil Jones reports for Empire of the Kop that Liverpool have received “several” enquiries over a deal for Phillips.
Those will include both Leeds and Feyenoord, who are credibly touted with an interest, but also other clubs in the Championship as well as Germany and the Netherlands.
In previous reports on Leeds‘ interest in Phillips via The Athletic’s Phil Hay, it was explained that Liverpool would seek a fee of around £10 million.
That may be why a transfer has not developed as of yet, particularly as Leeds are trimming their squad following their relegation to the Championship.
Robin Koch and Max Wober are among those to have left on loan, leaving Pascal Struijk and Liam Cooper as starters for the 2-2 draw with Cardiff at the weekend.
Leeds have already sanctioned the signings of Ethan Ampadu, Karl Darlow and Sam Byram, but according to Hay, there has been no progress yet with Phillips.
“We know there is the interest in Nat Phillips at Liverpool,” he told The Square Ball on Monday.
“But as of this morning there didn’t seem to have been much in the way of further developments with that.”
Phillips may be left with his pick of several clubs, both in England and abroad, which certainly makes his decision tougher.
Speaking to Empire of the Kop, Jones added: “A matter of time, I’d say, and a case of the player picking the right option for himself.”
