Wolves Plot January Raid for Forgotten Man City Midfielder Kalvin Phillips
Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly preparing a potential January approach for Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips, offering the sidelined England international a possible route away from the Etihad Stadium.
Wolves are considering a January transfer for Kalvin Phillips as the Manchester City midfielder struggles for game time and searches for a fresh start.
Phillips, now 30, has struggled to establish himself under Pep Guardiola and has featured only once for City during the current campaign. Once a regular in the England squad, the midfielder now finds himself on the fringes as his future becomes increasingly uncertain.
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According to the Daily Mail, Wolves are showing strong interest in the defensive midfielder as the winter transfer deadline approaches on Monday, February 2. The Midlands club, currently bottom of the Premier League, are said to have admired Phillips for a long time and are exploring the feasibility of a deal.
The report suggests Wolves could push forward with negotiations as Joao Gomes and Andre continue to attract attention from other clubs. Rob Edwards’ side are keen to strengthen their squad and believe Phillips’ Premier League experience could prove valuable in their battle to avoid relegation.
Wolves enter the weekend in good form, having gone five matches unbeaten across league and FA Cup fixtures. The club hopes Phillips’ top-flight pedigree can help them close the gap on nearby rivals and secure survival.
Phillips has gradually slipped down City’s hierarchy since his £42 million move from Leeds United in the summer of 2022. After making 21 appearances in his first season, he was limited to just 10 outings the following year before heading to West Ham on loan, where he endured a difficult spell marked by fan criticism.
The midfielder then spent the entire 2024-25 campaign with Ipswich Town, featuring 22 times and scoring once as Kieran McKenna’s team suffered relegation back to the Championship. Despite returning to City, opportunities have remained scarce.
His only appearance this season came in September’s Carabao Cup tie against Huddersfield Town, where he came off the bench during a 2-0 victory.
Phillips’ relationship with Guardiola has previously been strained after the City manager described him as “overweight” following the 2022 World Cup. Two years later, Guardiola issued a public apology, admitting the comment was a mistake and confirming he had spoken to the player beforehand.
Phillips later revealed the remarks were difficult to accept but insisted he remained fit and professional, describing the episode as a misunderstanding between himself and coaching staff.
While speculation over his future continues, City are concentrating on their immediate recovery after a shock 3-1 Champions League defeat to Bodo/Glimt. The result leaves the reigning champions 11th in the standings with work to do to secure automatic qualification for the knockout stages.
Guardiola’s players refunded travelling supporters after the loss and now turn their attention to Saturday’s league clash with Wolves, followed by a decisive fixture against Galatasaray.
City also suffered a 2-0 derby defeat to Manchester United last weekend, leaving them seven points adrift of league leaders Arsenal in the title race.
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