Aston Villa handed huge Kalvin Phillips transfer boost as Leeds clear path for blockbuster deal

Aston Villa are reportedly keen on signing Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips this summer.

The England international has long been admired at Villa Park and reports claim that Steven Gerrard could make a move for the 26-year-old to bolster his squad. Villa want to push for European football next season and Phillips could dramatically improve their chances of doing so.

The Times claim that Villa could shell out as much as £60million to land Phillips this summer, with the Elland Road club said to be looking for his replacement already. The report adds that Leeds are eyeing up Swansea City star Flynn Downes as a possible replacement for Phillips should he move on this summer.

Phillips is a boyhood Leeds fan and rejected the opportunity to join a Premier League club back in 2019, in favour of helping Leeds gain promotion back to the top-flight three years ago. Though, whether or not Leeds are relegated or if they survive the drop come the end of the season, his future is bound to come into question.

And it is likely that Villa will test Leeds' resolve for a player who has attracted interest from across the Premier League, with the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and West Ham all reportedly interested. Villa head coach Gerrard wants to buy a holding midfielder this summer and saw a bid turned down for Brighton's Yves Bissouma in January.

Villa could revisit the situation with the Brighton midfielder set to enter the final 12 months of his contract at the Amex at the end of the season, but that might depend on the availability of Phillips. The 'Yorkshire Pirlo' has been tracked by Villa ever since they had a £25million bid rejected by Leeds in the summer of 2019.