Gary Neville backs win-win West Ham transfer after explaining why Kalvin Phillips was ‘fish out of water’ at Man City

Kalvin Phillips, West Ham

Kalvin Phillips will have no problems fitting into the West Ham United midfield after his move from Manchester City, which could benefit the player, both clubs and his country.

That’s the opinion of Gary Neville, who believes Phillips will be better equipped to earn regular gametime at the London Stadium than he has been getting at the Etihad since leaving Leeds United in 2022.

Phillips has barely started games under Pep Guardiola, so Man City have agreed to send him on loan to West Ham.

There have been mixed reports on whether there will be an option for West Ham to buy him at the end of the season, but the latest indications are that they will indeed.

Therefore, West Ham could be the club where Phillips settles if all goes to plan.

And Neville predicts that Phillips is about to enjoy an upsurge in gametime.

“He needs to play football, that’s for sure,” Neville told Sky Sports.

“I mean, obviously we remember, he was a major England player, someone who I think we thought would do well at Manchester City.

“You normally think that City don’t make mistakes in the transfer market. Just not worked out for him there – listen, they’ve got fantastic options in midfield.

“But West Ham losing Declan Rice, I think it’s a good move for West Ham, it’s a good move for Kalvin Phillips.

“Hopefully he can stay fit and get a lot of football in before the Euros in the summer.”

When West Ham sold Rice to Arsenal in one of the summer’s most expensive transfers, they replenished their midfield by bringing in Edson Alvarez from Ajax and James Ward-Prowse from Southampton.

Nevertheless, Neville thinks Phillips could become the preferred partner to Tomas Soucek in the base of their midfield.

“We know he’ll play in midfield, alongside Soucek, he’ll play in that two, I’d imagine, in there,” Neville continued.

“He’ll allow Soucek to go forward – and he sits in there, he’s a good passer, good experience.

“Manchester City is a football team that is unique and if you’re just not quite as sharp on the ball as those around you – and he’s playing with Rodri, with Bernardo Silva, with Kevin de Bruyne – you can look a little bit like a fish out of water.

“There was a little bit of that of Kalvin Phillips at Manchester City, but when he goes to West Ham, he’ll fit in there no problem.

“He’s a really good player and a good, solid, David Moyes-type of thing to have on the pitch.”

Kalvin Phillips move to benefit England as well

Phillips was a regular starter for England alongside Rice at the last European Championship, which they reached the final of before losing to Italy.

Due to his relative inactivity since, Phillips might be less likely to be an automatic starter this time around, unless his upcoming West Ham stint sends a reminder of his capabilities.

Neville believes his international status will have been a motivating factor for the 28-year-old to leave Man City after 18 months, despite being under contract there until 2028.

“I think that’ll be the main thing, getting football before the Euros,” Neville said. “It’s important obviously for England, it’s important for Kalvin Phillips.

“Gareth Southgate, I think, trusts certain players a lot and I think that England haven’t got unbelievable options in the centre of midfield. They haven’t.

“So I think this could work well for all parties, including obviously our country.”

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