Having narrowly missed out on promotion last season, Leeds United may now face an uphill task to keep hold of one of their most prized assets this summer.

According to The Telegraph, Aston Villa are reportedly readying a £14m bid for Kalvin Phillips as Dean Smith looks to strengthen his midfield options ahead of his side's return to the Premier League in August.

If this is indeed true, Marcelo Bielsa must take a long hard look at both the positives and the negatives that selling the 23-year-old could have on the Whites' future before making a final decision on the matter.

Keeping this in mind, we have set out two pros and two cons that cashing in on Phillips' may bring for Leeds.

Check them out below...

Pros

Leeds could use the money to re-invest in their squad

If Leeds do end up cutting ties with Phillips, there is no reason why they cannot use the money generated from his departure to bolster their squad in a number of key areas during the transfer market.

Whether this means bringing in players on permanent deals or spending the money on loan fees for some of the Premier League's most exciting young talents, the Whites may find themselves in a healthier position compared to the beginning of last season if they can get their recruitment spot on.

Phillips was distinctively average before Bielsa arrived at Elland Road

Whereas there is no doubting just how big of an improvement that Phillips' has made to his game over the past 12 months, it could be argued that he may not be able to play to such high standards without the guidance of Bielsa.

Before the Argentine took over at Elland Road, the midfielder struggled considerably for consistency and therefore there are no guarantees that he will be able to reproduce last season's form under a new manager in the Premier League.

Therefore, if the Whites do sell him for a considerable fee this summer, they may not live to regret the decision if Phillips ends up failing to fulfil his potential as a result of a move away from Elland Road.

Cons

The Whites would be losing one of their star performers from last season

Although Pablo Hernandez and Kemar Roofe grabbed all of the headlines for Leeds during the 2018/19 campaign for their performances, Phillips' outstanding contributions in the heart of midfield were one of the key reasons why the club were so successful in the Championship

By controlling the tempo of the Whites' play, the Thorp Arch academy graduate gave his team-mates the freedom to express themselves which in turn led to some incredible attacking displays by Bielsa's side.

If Leeds let Phillips go this summer, there is every chance that they will end up struggling in the second tier as they may find it extremely difficult to find a sufficient replacement for him.

Underselling Phillips would show that Leeds have not learnt their lesson

Considering that Villa are supposedly trying to secure the services of Phillips by offering £14m, it would set a dangerous precedent if Leeds were to accept this offer.

Having undersold the likes of Lewis Cook and Sam Byram in recent years, by doing the same thing with the midfielder, they will be showing that they haven't learnt their lesson despite a change in ownership from Massimo Cellino to Andrea Radrizzani.