Slot ‘green lights start of Liverpool exodus’ with Phillips transfer to West Brom
Liverpool are spending heavily this summer, and this spending will be funded in part by smart sales across the squad.
Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong have both joined from Bayer Leverkusen for a significant outlay, while Jarell Quansah is headed the other way for a decent fee.
Liverpool are keen to further strengthen their defence beyond the signing of Milos Kerkez, and could target Crystal Palace star Marc Guéhi.
Another defender looks set to depart to make room for more incomings as Liverpool outcast Nat Phillips has now agreed a move to West Brom.
Phillips agrees West Brom move
Phillips spent last season on loan at Championship side Derby County after falling down the pecking order at Liverpool, and is clearly not valued by Arne Slot.
The 28-year-old had a spell in the Liverpool side in the 2020/21 season after an injury crisis, but failed to impress and has since had mixed loan spells at Bournemouth, Celtic, Cardiff City and Derby.
As reported by John Percy via X (23 June), with just one year left on Phillips’ contract, Ryan Mason’s West Brom are close to signing the Englishman in a permanent deal.
This will bring the defender’s nine-year association with Liverpool to an end, and this is highly unlikely to be the Reds’ last sale this summer as Slot looks to ship out more unwanted players from Anfield in the coming months.
Slot wields axe on Liverpool squad
It appears set to be a big summer of change on Merseyside as Slot is now ruthlessly clearing his squad out, and several players will head for the exit door.
Phillips will follow Quansah and Trent Alexander-Arnold out of Liverpool, and another defender could join them if Kostas Tsimikas or Andy Robertson leave.
Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott have both been linked with moves away, and these exits may allow Liverpool to continue spending on upgrades to their squad.
Phillips is one of a few players who should have perhaps departed Liverpool some time ago, but there is now a ruthless nature to the squad building this summer, where any player not in Slot’s favour looks likely to depart.
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