Cardiff City are closing in on securing a loan deal for Liverpool defender Nat Phillips for the rest of the season.
The 26-year-old centre-back has previously played for Scottish champions Celtic over the first part of this campaign but failed to break into Brendan Rogers’ first-team plans. Phillips only made 8 appearances at Parkhead, including two European fixtures against Atletico Madrid and Lazio.
The Reds recalled the Bolton-born player in the January window, and look set to ship him off to the Welsh capital for more game time, according to the BBC. Phillips is set to be The Bluebirds’ first signing of this current transfer period.
Making seven Champions League appearances with Liverpool and the Bhoys, Phillips last played Championship football for Bournemouth in the 2021/22 season, making 18 appearances for the Cherries.
A need for a new centre-back in the window came when Jonathan Panzo was recalled by parent club Nottingham Forest, with the 23-year-old set to move to Belgian Pro League club Standard Liege.
Erot Bulut’s side are fixed firmly in the midtable of the second division this season, and are seven points off the play-off places, with Coventry City currently occupying the last spot of the top six.
Phillips started his career within the Bolton Wanderers Academy but made a switch to Huddersfield Town before eventually joining Liverpool. He is the son of former Middlesborough and Oxford United defender Jimmy Phillips, who coached him during his time in The Trotters’ youth system.
Writer’s View
Nat Phillips is a good move for Cardiff City. Losing Jonathan Panzo meant they needed a solid backup option for their current defensive partnership in Dimitri Goutas and Mark McGuinness. The 26-year-old offers a wealth of Premier League experience to the Welsh club, and can certainly challenge for a first-team spot.
The defender’s time at Liverpool is certain to be ending soon. Whilst a cult figure for the Reds during their injury crisis in the 2020/21 season alongside Port Vale‘s Rhys Williams, the emergence of Jarell Quansah probably means he will not get any chances in the Merseyside club’s squad. This move to Cardiff should be a great chance to set out what he could offer to prospective new clubs next summer.
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