Newcastle United have joined the race to sign Liverpool centre-back Nat Phillips. Phillips, who has been at Liverpool since 2016, had a lot of game time in the 2020-21 season due to injuries to key Reds defenders.
As per Goal, the Magpies along with Burnley, Brighton and Southampton are interested in the 24-year-old defender. The report claims that Liverpool will sell the player for the right price and Phillips is keen on securing first-team football as well. The Reds could demand a fee of around £12 million for the English centre-back.
Nat Phillips played in the Premier League and Champions League last season, making a total of 20 appearances. His current deal with the club expires in 2023.
Nat Phillips: A good option for Bruce?
Newcastle United manager Steve Bruce will be under a lot of pressure to push higher up the Premier League table as the fans are not happy with him being their manager, which has a lot to do with the style of football the team plays under him. The Magpies will have to strengthen in the summer and subsequently look to try and play on the front foot and with more confidence, if they want to get the fans backing them in the stadiums next season.
The side was poor at the back in the 2020-21 Premier League season as they conceded 62 goals in 38 Premier League games – the fifth-worst defensive record in the league. Bruce’s five-man defensive system wasn’t effective, while the Magpies manager chopped and changed quite a bit at the back. The likes of Jamaal Lascelles, Federico Fernandez, Fabian Schar, Ciaran Clark, Paul Dummett and Emil Krafth played in the centre-back position last season. Bruce could not find the right partnership at the back due to injuries and poor form.
The Magpies need some reinforcements at the back as most of the central defensive options are not good enough at the moment. Nat Phillips could be a decent addition to the Newcastle backline and could form a solid partnership with captain Jamaal Lascelles.
Phillips is a towering figure who is superb in the air, averaging 5.6 aerial wins per league game last season. The 24-year-old is a strong tackler at the back and is not afraid to go head to head with an attacker. The Liverpool defender is also a decent passer, who can move the ball from the back to initiate attacks or even play it long to players further forward.
The Englishman could go on to become a leader in the defence given his vocal approach at the back. He could slot into the Newcastle United backline well and use his experience gathered during a difficult season at Liverpool to make the Magpies a tighter outfit. Phillips may not be cut out to be a first-choice defender at Liverpool, but he has shown in the few appearances for the Reds that he has what it takes to be a starter in the Premier League.
