'My impression...' - Phil Hay now drops big contract claim out of Leeds

Leeds United journalist Phil Hay has been discussing Kalvin Phillips and his contract situation at the club.

Having come through the club’s academy system, Phillips has gone on to establish himself as a crucial member of the Leeds United side. Once described as the ‘lynchpin’ of the team, the 26-year-old’s absence through injury has been sorely missed this season as Leeds find themselves near the bottom of the table.

His performances have brought the attention of a number of clubs, with a recent report from The Times claiming that Aston Villa were the ‘frontrunners’ to sign him this summer in a £60m deal, whilst it was reported by The Sun that West Ham had tried to sign him in a £55m deal during January.

However a recent report from The Mirror “Phillips has handed Leeds a massive boost in their efforts to hold on to him by saying he is prepared to sign a new contract with them this summer.”

Speaking on the latest edition of The Phil Hay Show (48:01), Hay claimed that it would appear as if the feeling is very much mutual between Phillips and the club in that they also want to sign him to a new deal as well, but did hint that just because Phillips wants to stay now, that doesn’t mean that he sees him staying at the club forever:

“The club would like to sign him to a new deal. And I think they kind of have to in this window coming up if he isn’t going.

“Because clubs tend to see two years out from the end of a player’s deal, particularly if they’re a high-value player as a critical point where you either extend or you see them potentially run down to 12 months to go, at which point the value is fairly majorly diminished and they are very, very close to becoming a free agent, which is not a scenario you want to happen with a