Liverpool centre-back Nat Phillips could join recently-relegated Leeds United in the ongoing summer transfer window, according to a report from journalist Phil Hay of The Athletic.

Phillips has been little more than a backup option for Liverpool over the last couple of seasons – as such, if they can sell him on for a profit, it could be a good piece of business from the Reds.

Despite Leeds’ interest, Phillips’ Liverpool contract does not expire until the end of the 2024/25 season. As such, the Whites will need to pay a fee of around £10 million for him if they wish to bring him to Elland Road.

Will Liverpool miss Nat Phillips?

Nat Phillips is a perfectly capable central defender – while not the most technically gifted of players, his sheer grit and determination make him a formidable centre-half. In the Championship, he will feel right at home, where his lack of ability on the ball will be less exposed.

With that being said, it is difficult to argue that losing Phillips will be a crippling blow to Jurgen Klopp’s men. since he was promoted to the Reds’ first team in 2019, he has made just 19 appearances, scoring a single goal.

While he has always been a reliable backup option and has never let his team down on any occasion, he is not the kind of centre-half who will help a team compete for the Champions League. He is simply too limited – old-school defenders such as Phillips are rapidly being phased out at the highest level in favour of ball-playing centre-halves.

Nat Phillips football career summary so far

As a youngster, Phillips initially joined the youth academy of his hometown team, Bolton Wanderers. He would never make a first-team appearance for the Trotters, however, as he made the jump to Liverpool in 2016.

He made his professional debut on loan at Stuttgart in 2019 – he swiftly established himself as a stouthearted defender and was recalled before the end of the year to help combat Liverpool’s injury crisis.

In 2022, he went out on loan to AFC Bournemouth – his performances helped the Cherries to a second-placed finish in the Championship that year.