29 August 2023 , 18:59
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Liverpool defender Nat Phillips could finally complete a switch away from Anfield before Friday night's transfer deadline.
Phillips, 26, joined the Reds from Bolton Wanderers back in 2016 and ended up playing a starring role during the 2020/21 campaign when Jurgen Klopp was left with a dearth of defensive options amid an injury crisis.
Despite impressing during that run, Phillips has stayed on the periphery on Merseyside and spent the season before last on loan at Bournemouth. A permanent transfer failed to materialise last summer after Liverpool decided to hold on to the centre-half, but Phillips is set to get the green light to pursue a move elsewhere in the coming days.
That's according to The Athletic, who outline that Phillips is likely to leave Liverpool on loan before Friday. The report goes on to detail that the Reds have been open to letting Phillips leave either temporarily or for good this summer.
Phillips, who is behind the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez in the Liverpool pecking order, is 'desperate' to play regular first-team football after watching on from the sidelines last year and has suitors in the Championship, including Middlesbrough.
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It is understood that Phillips was close to leaving Liverpool both last summer and in the winter transfer window before the club U-turned on those plans due to defensive injuries. Newcastle and West Ham were both linked with Phillips back in January.
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Phillips has interest from the Championship and could leave Anfield on loan (Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)Klopp is known to be a big fan of Phillips after turning to him on more than one occasion and the Reds manager has regularly sang the defender's praises.
Speaking back in 2021, Klopp hailed Phillips and Rhys Williams, another defender who was called upon during the 2020/21 campaign, as "incredible" in the wake of their performances after being drafted in.
Klopp said previously: “These two boys, playing like that, it is incredible, absolutely incredible. That was a proper crash course in a Premier League education, and they have learned so much,” Klopp said. “It’s a sign for all our kids at Liverpool in the academy. It’s possible - it shows it’s possible...just work hard.
“These boys they are obviously not skilled like crazy, they had to work incredibly hard. And now they are proper, proper Premier League players. And that’s exactly how it can work. I am really happy for them.”