Former Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips is looking to use his loan spell at Ipswich Town to get his career back on track.
Phillips joined Ipswich on a season-long-loan in the summer following a very difficult couple of years since leaving Leeds for Manchester City in 2022.
The 28-year-old was no more than a bit-part player in City’s treble-winning squad and then really struggled after signing on loan for West Ham in January earlier this year.
Moving to a side like Ipswich who are riding the crest of a wave after back-to-back promotions has helped ease the spotlight on Phillips, who has linked up with former Leeds teammates Jack Clarke and Leif Davis at Portman Road.
Phillips says picking between Leeds and Ipswich would have been a ‘close call’ in the summer had his old club won promotion. Leeds had reached an agreement with Man City over a deal.
Phillips makes claim about Leif Davis’ England prospects
Phillips was among the very best players in his position during his time at Leeds, so much so that he went onto play 31 times for England.
Such has been the downturn in his form, though, Phillips is currently a long way off from regaining his place in the England squad, but certainly knows what it takes for a player at a lesser club to force his way into the reckoning.
And in an interview with the East Anglian Daily Times, Phillips has tipped former Leeds and now Ipswich star Davis to follow in his footsteps.
Phillips believes Davis is already one of the best left-backs in the Premier League and thinks a call-up to the Three Lions squad won’t be far away.
He said: “I was surprised he wasn’t called up to the last squad. Against Tottenham I thought he was very good. He’s definitely one of the best in the league. I just feel like there’s space for a natural attacking left-back, which is probably the way that (Thomas) Tuchel will want to play.
“I feel like I’m expecting the call-up for Leif more than he is expecting it. I’ve not really said it to him much, because I don’t want to make him feel pressurised, but I do feel like his time is going to come and when it comes I just want him to be able to grab it with both hands.
Davis was sold by Leeds for £1m, now shining in the Premier League
Davis is certainly one of the most frustrating transfer decisions by Leeds in recent years, having been sold for just £1 million in 2022.
That said, no one could’ve foreseen the trajectory his career would go onto take at the time, particularly after a less than fruitful loan spell at Bournemouth.
Clearly going down to come up was the best decision Davis could’ve taken for his career, and that is really being shown in the Premier League.
No defender in the division has created more chances than Davis this season, with the 24-year-old ahead of the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold.
