£43m midfielder says Arsenal player was encouraging him to leave Man City in January
Kalvin Phillips, who had a trying 18 months at Manchester City following his switch from Leeds United, received encouragement to leave the club in January from Arsenal star Declan Rice. The defensive midfielder made the difficult decision to terminate his stint at City, opting to join West Ham United on loan for the rest of the season.
Despite having the opportunity to depart from the Etihad Stadium in the summer, Phillips had initially chosen to stay and fight for his place. However, with limited playing time and few opportunities to showcase his abilities, he eventually decided to seek a new challenge.
The move to West Ham was influenced by Phillips’ discussions with his England teammate, Rice, who spoke highly of the club and its atmosphere. The Arsenal star’s positive views on West Ham, where he spent his early career before moving to North London, played a significant role in Phillips’ decision.
In a statement, Phillips mentioned, “I know Dec quite well and I spoke to him about the club, and he spoke very highly, and he loves the club. He just said, ‘if there’s a place you are going to go, go to West Ham because you’ll love it there and have an amazing time because they’ve got great people’. I spoke to Nobes [Mark Noble] too and I can just tell by the way Nobes and Dec spoke about it that I’m going to like it here.”
While the encouragement from Rice and Noble, who have strong ties to West Ham, was compelling, there are concerns about whether joining West Ham was the best move for Phillips. Despite the potential for increased playing time, the midfield at West Ham is already packed with talent, making competition for a starting spot fierce.
With established players like James Ward-Prowse, Edson Alvarez, Thomas Soucek, Lucas Paqueta, and Mohammed Kudus in the mix, Phillips may find it challenging to secure regular minutes on the pitch. Given the strong competition, Phillips’ form and performance will need to improve significantly to establish himself in the starting lineup.
Moreover, his initial appearances for West Ham have fallen short of expectations, with some instances of costly errors. In his second match against Manchester United, Phillips lost possession, resulting in a goal conceded by his team. These early struggles could raise doubts about whether West Ham was the best destination for Phillips.
Thus, while Rice and Noble’s endorsement of West Ham was well-intentioned, the move may present significant challenges for Phillips as he strives to make an impact at his new club.
