Everton get Kalvin Phillips transfer hope as Pep Guardiola shares update on Man City exits

The midfielder is understood to be on the radar of the Blues, though only if he was to become available on loan

Pep Guardiola hinted at potential sales this summer in the latest suggestion Kalvin Phillips is available if a suitable deal can be found. The midfielder, understood to be of interest to Everton, has struggled to make an impact at Manchester City since his move from Leeds United two seasons ago.

It is widely accepted the Manchester club would be willing to allow him to leave this summer as he looks to rejuvenate a career that has been stunted by injury and a lack of opportunity at the Etihad Stadium. No suitor has yet emerged for the 28-year-old – which could benefit Everton.

Phillips is on the radar of the Blues, the England international having the potential to boost Sean Dyche’s central midfield options following the sale of Amadou Onana. The 22-year-old’s move to Aston Villa for an initial £50m was completed on Monday. Onana’s departure had been factored into the summer business plan at Finch Farm and the arrivals of Tim Iroegbunam and Iliman Ndiaye, who could free up Abdoulaye Doucoure to sit deeper, mitigate the impact of his exit. Phillips would provide useful depth, however, though Everton would be unlikely to move for him unless there was an option to bring him to Merseyside on loan. Phillips spent the end of last season on loan at West Ham United.

City would prefer to recoup some of the transfer fee spent in taking him to the club but the longer the summer goes on without a suitable offer, the greater the opportunity for such a deal might become.

For his part, Guardiola hinted at potential exits before the end of the summer as he said: “I don’t know what will happen in the market. The squad is long enough, if someone leaves we talk about that. Of course, until the last day, we have chances – I don’t rule out the option to have new players but if anyone leaves, I think 85, 90, 95 per cent we will have the same squad. I feel comfortable, because the quality of human beings we have in the squad is difficult to be replaced, and the quality is there. But we’ll see, I don’t know in the last moment if someone comes for some players and they leave, we’re going to decide.”