Dean Jones says Aston Villa are ‘unlikely’ to sign Kalvin Phillips

Aston Villa want a defensive-midfielder this summer and have been linked with Leeds United’s Kalvin Phillips, but transfer expert Dean Jones doesn’t believe the Midlands outfit stand a chance of signing him.

Jones told Give Me Sport: “We should not totally rule out the idea of another midfielder arriving, but it is unlikely to be someone at the level of Leeds United’s Kalvin Phillips.”

The 26-year-old has made 234 appearances in all competitions for Leeds, scoring 14 goals with 13 assists, but he struggled for playing time last season due to injury. Phillips featured 23 times across the board in 2021/22, starting in only 18/38 Premier League outings.

His future at Elland Road is uncertain due to Leeds’ woes in the top-flight and interest from bigger clubs. The Whites were nearly relegated to the Championship and Manchester City are interested in Phillips, so he might be lured away from Yorkshire if his £50m valuation is met.

Villa can’t compete with that, as they’re not challenging for major honours, so Steven Gerrard might have to turn his attentions elsewhere. Phillips recently committed his future to Leeds too, so he’s unlikely to push for a transfer. And if he wanted to leave, Man City would surely be a preferred destination over Villa.

In other news, Frank McAvennie praises Aston Villa for responding to ‘big disappointment’