Tottenham will pay between £5m and £6m for the January loan of Man City centre-forward Calvin Phillips, sources have told Football Insider.
As revealed in the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, former Spurs scout Bryan King believes the club can agree a deal for the 28-year-old despite City’s demand for a hefty loan.
Phillips is believed to be on Tottenham’s list of targets, who have been assessing options for central midfield in recent weeks.
Tottenham are also keen on signing Chelsea star Conor Gallagher and have held talks over what would be a permanent deal.
Phillips has struggled to settle at the Etihad Stadium since July 2022, when he moved from Leeds United for £45m.
The England international has made just 31 appearances for City in all competitions and scored one goal in his time in Manchester.
Phillips has struggled for playing time again in the 2023-24 campaign, having amassed 10 appearances and played just 318 minutes of football this season.
With the former Leeds star finding it difficult to find his place in Pep Guardiola’s team, a departure from City this month seems highly likely.
Football Insider revealed last month that Newcastle United and Juventus are the main favourites to sign Phillips, and Guardiola has informed the player that he can look for a new club in January.
But the loan required by City, who also want Phillips’ full wages paid, makes the deal too high for many interested clubs.
King told Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast exclusively: “Personally, if they were looking for a central midfielder, and there’s been a lot of talk about that, I would look at Phillips at Man City.
“I mean, £5m or £6m for a loan – I’d certainly look at that.
“He has the kind of energy that Ange [Postecoglou] likes.”