Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, has expressed his admiration for Leeds United and their former player Kalvin Phillips. Guardiola revealed that he had discussions with the 27-year-old midfielder about his limited playing time at City but that Phillips chose to remain with the club. Phillips, who joined City in July 2022 for £42 million plus add-ons, had excelled at Leeds and made significant progress under former manager Marcelo Bielsa.
In a recent Carabao Cup match against Newcastle United, Phillips was granted a rare start for City. Ahead of the game, Guardiola praised Bielsa’s impact on Phillips during his time at Leeds, stating that he wished he could have achieved similar results with the player. Guardiola stated, “We brought Kalvin here for his quality. There are no identical players in football; each player possesses their own unique attributes and personality. Marcelo helped Kalvin become the best version of himself in his career. I would have loved to have had the opportunity to do for Kalvin what Marcelo did for him. But this is the way it is.”
Guardiola also highlighted Phillips’ willingness to learn and adapt to City’s specific style of play. While acknowledging that some players may struggle with certain aspects of City’s approach, Guardiola emphasized Phillips’ open-mindedness and desire to improve.
Regarding discussions with Phillips about his playing time, Guardiola shared, “The club spoke with him because he did not have many minutes. He said, ‘No, I want to stay.'” Phillips was subsequently given a rare start in the Carabao Cup match against Newcastle, despite City suffering a 1-0 defeat.
Guardiola praised Phillips’ qualities and affirmed that there were no doubts about his abilities, considering his role in the England national team. Guardiola acknowledged that sometimes specific situations may require different attributes, and Phillips continues to be an exceptional player with a positive attitude, according to the manager.