Kalvin Phillips remained a Leeds United player over the course of the summer, much to the delight of the Elland Road faithful.
Leeds rely on Phillips to be their midfield anchor, and heâs shown his importance in the opening three games of the 2019/20 season.
Now, the challenge for the Whites is tying him down to fresh terms, which is making good progress, according to Phil Hay.
âThey are speaking and my understanding is that theyâre getting close,â he wrote on The Athleticâs Q&A (15/08). âBoth sides want to make it happen and I expect that they will.â
Here, we discuss the topic in a FLW Six Point Opinionâ¦
Firstly, explain the significance of thisâ¦
âThe summer transfer window was mixed for Leeds; yes, Helder Costa and Eddie Nketiah were high-profile arrivals at Elland Road, but key players moved on.
âPontus Jansson and Kemar Roofe are now elsewhere, whilst Jack Clarkeâs long-term future lies away from Leeds.
âHad Phillips gone, there wouldâve been a riot at Elland Road and the fans wouldâve turned on Andrea Radrizzani and the rest of the board.
âSo, getting him tied down to a new contract would be massive and a show of intent after a mixed period.â
Whatâs Phillipsâ current deal looking like? Â
âThereâs still two years to run on it, but it is time to offer him fresh terms.
â2017 was when he last signed an extension, and heâs improved so much under Marcelo Bielsa, which in turn, means he deserves a better wage.
âPhillips is 23 now and will feel he deserves to be amongst the clubâs top earners. Leeds do appear to recognise that.â
Had the Whites fielded interest in Phillips in the summer? Â
âYes, Angus Kinnear confirmed that in an Athletic interview at the close of the window, whilst other reports seemed to link Aston Villa with a move for Phillips.
âYouâd imagine it was significant money thrown down for the midfielder, and it was a show of intent for Leeds to retain his service.
âWhen the window closed and an image emerged of Philips at Thorp Arch with a smile on his face, you could sense the relief in West Yorkshire.â
So, a new contract announcement seems imminent? Â
âAccording to Phil Hay, which is a big update in the eyes of many Leeds fans, things seems on course.
âWhether an announcement is imminent or not remains to be seen, but it does seem Phillips wants to commit to Leeds.
âThatâs the most encouraging part of this, thereâs no desire to move from the player.âÂ
What will that mean in terms of January?Â
âIt puts Leeds in a really strong position in terms of retaining Phillipsâ service.
âShould Phillipsâ deal run into its final 18 months, his price is being driven down and Leedsâ place at the negotiating table shrinks.
âWith a four or five year deal on the table and a significant wage, Leeds hold all the cards and can snub interest in the next few windows without worrying about Phillipsâ value decreasing.â
Finally, what will be going through Marcelo Bielsaâs mind as all this unfolds?
âBielsa speaks very fondly about Phillipsâ attitude and ability, with the 23-year-old clearly a favourite of the Argentine, which has been evident since he arrived at the club and built his side around him.
âWhilst he didnât kick up too much fuss when Jansson and Roofe were sold, you feel that wouldnât be the case if Phillips was flogged.
âKeeping Phillips happy will keep Bielsa happy, which has to be the clubâs overall aim.â