Championship side Middlesbrough are keeping tabs on Nat Phillips’ situation at Liverpool as the centre-back is ‘desperate’ to play regular first-team football, according to The Athletic.
At 26, Phillips still has two years remaining on his current deal at Anfield and has received very few minutes in men’s football since the start of last season, spending most of the previous term on Liverpool’s bench.
On Saturday, as the Reds overcame the odds to beat Newcastle United 2-1 at St James’ Park with 10 men, Jarell Quansah made his professional debut for Liverpool, coming on in the second half for Joel Matip. Nat Phillips was not even named on the bench.
In total, the ex-Bolton Wanderers academy star has made merely five appearances for the English giants since the beginning of the 2022/23 campaign.
The Athletic are claiming that Liverpool are willing to listen to permanent and loan offers for the former VfB Stuttgart loanee and that Boro are keen to secure the defender’s services before the transfer window slams shut this Friday.
The esteemed outlet have also revealed that Phillips was set to leave the club at the end of the previous two transfer windows but Jurgen Klopp vetoed any sale, holding onto the academy graduate as cover for first-team members who sustained injuries.
Michael Carrick’s side are not alone in their pursuit of the central defender. Journalist Rudy Galetti told GIVEMESPORT that Leeds United have identified Phillips as the perfect replacement for Max Wober, while Alan Nixon revealed that Stuttgart were interested in re-signing the centre-back.
Writer’s View
Whether Phillips ends up at the Riverside Stadium or not is yet to be seen. However, it seems clear that the defender will get another move away from Anfield, albeit temporarily once more.
This would be an astute signing for Middlesbrough given the horrific start they have endured to the 2023/24 campaign in the Championship. Phillips will add much-needed stability and quality to an unstable backline.
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