Rio Ferdinand sends 'surprise' warning over Kalvin Phillips to Manchester United transfer

Rio Ferdinand has expressed his reservations over Manchester United target and Leeds United star Kalvin Phillips.

United are eager to bolster their ranks with a defensive midfield addition, an area that has come under immense scrutiny at the club in recent seasons. Phillips, 26, has shot to recognition since Leeds' promotion to the Premier League and has established himself as a mainstay in the heart of Gareth Southgate's England midfield.

United have already started working on a deal to sign the midfielder, as the Manchester Evening News reported in April. The future of Jesse Marsch's star man remains unclear as the Whites sit in the relegation zone, level on points with Burnley, with two games remaining this season.

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But Ferdinand — who made the switch from Elland Road to Old Trafford himself in 2002 — is unsure about the move for the 26-year-old, he said on his Rio Reacts Five Podcast : "I don’t think Kalvin Phillips is a name that should be associated with Manchester United. I just think he’s a Leeds boy.

"The rivalry between the fans, he’s family are all there. It’s different to when I left, I had no family in Leeds other than my cousin.

"It wasn’t a problem for them. It was very different. I don’t see Kalvin Phillips going to Manchester United. If he does it will be the biggest surprise."

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