Liverpool edge closer to deal for 23-year-old central defender

Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp (Photo by OWEN HUMPHREYS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp (Photo by OWEN HUMPHREYS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Liverpool are edging closer to a deal for Nat Phillips.

Jurgen Klopp doesn’t feel that the defender has much of a future at Anfield and is ready to let him leave, with Blackburn Rovers and Bristol City interested.

Alex James at Lancs Live and David Byrom at the Bristol Post have written about the interest in the 23-year-old, who spent last season on loan at Stuttgart.

Rovers relied on Manchester City loanee Tosin Adarabioyo last season and he won’t return to Ewood Park for a second campaign. Lancs Live reported that they’ll turn towards Nat Phillips to fill the gap in their squad.

Injuries and international selection have left Bristol short at the back, and are interested in signing Phillips permanently, or on loan – said the Post.

After helping Stuttgart earn promotion to the Bundesliga last season, the Liverpool starlet doesn’t appear to be short of options. He’ll need to play first team football at this stage of his career, but the good news is that there appear to be plenty of options for him.

Phillips failed to make the bench for the Community Shield game, with teenager Billy Koumetio preferred as a bench option and that appears to be the final nail in the coffin for his Merseyside career.

With a market value of £720,000, according to Transfermarkt, the former Bolton trainee shouldn’t raise too much money for the Thiago fund – but it will be good to see him given the chance to start his professional career properly.

Phillips has only made one appearance for Liverpool, but it was a good one. He flew back halfway through his spell with Stuttgart, started in the 1-0 FA Cup win against Everton, kept a clean sheet and then returned to Germany.

If you were going to pick any way to make your debut, you’d want it to be during a Merseyside Derby when you help frustrate the Toffies all game.