Forgotten Manchester City man a target for Aston Villa

Manchester City host Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday evening. 

The reigning Premier League champions go into the tie off the back of a successful weekend, having closed the gap to league leaders Arsenal to six points.

City ran out 4-1 winners over struggling Southampton on Saturday, before The Gunners were held to a 2-2 draw by Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.

Now, though, they must turn their attention to the German champions, with a place in the semi-finals of the Champions League at stake.

In the meantime, it appears that City could face a battle to keep hold of one of their current stars.

According to Football Insider, Aston Villa are interested in City midfielder Kalvin Phillips.

The England international only joined City last summer, signing from Leeds United for a fee of around £42 million.

Phillips is set to be the subject of interest from Aston Villa this summer

Since then, though, he has struggled for opportunities at The Etihad, making just 14 appearances across all competitions.

Phillips, 27, has struggled with injuries this term but also appears to be behind the likes of Rodri, Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva in the pecking order.

Villa boss Unai Emery has reportedly identified Phillips as the perfect candidate to bolster his side’s midfield, and the report claims that City would consider selling the Englishman for a fee in the region of £45 million.

When joining City last year, Phillips penned a long-term contract that runs until 2028, although he appears increasingly likely to depart the club before that date.

This season, Phillips has only started two matches across all competitions, despite playing a key role for former club Leeds.

During his time with The Whites, Phillips made more than 230 appearances, playing a crucial role as they were promoted to the Premier League in 2020.

During Leeds’ first season back in the top flight, the midfielder made 29 appearances in the competition, helping his side to secure their Premier League status.

If a £45 million deal was agreed, it would also mark a new record signing for Villa, surpassing the £33 million that they paid for Emi Buendia back in 2021.