Leeds 'more hopeful' of reaching agreement with £45m star at Elland Road

Leeds United are ‘more hopeful’ of tying Kalvin Phillips down to a new Elland Road contract than Raphinha, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

As the Whites are able to look forward to another season of Premier League football after finishing three points clear of the relegation zone, Jesse Marsch has turned his attentions towards ensuring his biggest assets remain in Yorkshire.

Leeds put contract talks with Phillips and Raphinha on hold while their top flight status was at risk, but that delay has put rivals on red alert.

Phillips has emerged as Manchester City’s top target to replace fellow defensive midfielder Fernandinho at the Etihad Stadium.

But the reigning Premier League champions are not the £45million-rated 26-year-old’s only admirer as West Ham United and Manchester United are also mulling over whether to make a summer move.

Meanwhile, Spanish sources have revealed Raphinha has already told Leeds’ hierarchy that he wants to head to Barcelona ahead of next season.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has suggested the winger has been a priority for the Catalan giants since February, but the deal is still not close to being completed as his current employers will not accept less than £47million.

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Brenden Aaronson became the first signing of the Marsch era after completing a move from Red Bull Salzburg, but Jones feels the respective futures of Phillips and Raphinha will dictate the remaining business to be done at Elland Road.

The transfer insider believes the Leeds hierarchy are more confident of seeing Phillips put pen-to-paper than Raphinha.

Jones told GIVEMESPORT: “A lot is going to depend on how their battle goes to keep Raphinha and