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Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel has reportedly set his sights on Manchester City’s midfielder Kalvin Phillips as he looks to bolster the German club’s midfield for next season. The Englishman would provide great depth in Bayern’s midfield, including Leon Goretzka, Joshua Kimmich, and Jamal Musiala. With an impressive array of passing talent at his disposal, Phillips could potentially become a key figure in helping the Bavarians challenge for major silverware next season.

Bayern Munich appears prepared to bring in players in a shadow-ninja fashion, igniting the transfer market. With all these exciting transfer rumors circulating, it still feels like Brazzo-level cooking. Was Bayern Munich’s keen interest in Declan Rice merely a smokescreen for their pursuit of Kalvin Phillips, the real prize?

The German league soccer team has turned its attention to another player on the same island now that Arsenal has almost finalized the deal for Rice. Although Kalvin Phillips of Manchester City lacks the same exceptional passing range and explosiveness as the West Ham superstar, he more than makes up for it with his relentless work ethic and tenacity in defense. And Thomas Tuchel, who now has a significant say in the makeup of the squad, might want to intervene and complete this transfer.

But who is Kalvin Phillips?

Phillips is a benchwarmer for Manchester City at the age of 27, in the prime of his career. It hardly does justice to his abilities that he is so criminally underutilized in the most stacked club in the world. He was an academy product of Leeds United and made his first-team debut in 2015.

He is a dynamic midfielder who can play in a box-to-box, pivot, or defensive midfield role. He boasts a great passing range and incredible vision when given time on the ball. In addition to being able to break up attacks and possess physicality, Phillips also has phenomenal composure on the ball – something that appears to be missing at Bayern Munich right now despite their recent resurgence under Tuchel.

The prospect of him joining Bayern Munich isn’t just exciting because of his potential ability and what it would mean symbolically. Is a highly-rated Englishman making his way to Bavaria? It’s an intriguing thought indeed for fans of both clubs. With a team like Bayern Munich, he would have a great chance to win some hardware and contribute significantly to the club’s successes. There might be one issue, though: Bayern’s own midfield depth.

Bayern Munich is already stocked in those positions thanks to the recent addition of Konrad Laimer, another defensive-minded workhorse midfielder. Given that Joshua Kimmich always starts, even if the team is successful in selling Marcel Sabitzer and Ryan Gravenberch, Phillips would still have to contend with Leon Goretzka and Konrad Laimer for playing time. Will the player simply be making a lateral move here?

The transfer fee?

The transfer fee is a separate, minor issue. Manchester City has a reputation for profiting from player sales. Will the player be offered for less than $25 million? Extremely unlikely. Is Bayern prepared to spend big on the fifth-choice midfielder for Manchester City and compete with teams like Manchester United and West Ham in the process? It will be interesting to see what happens.

Final Thoughts

Thomas Tuchel has long been linked with a move for Kalvin Phillips, and now it appears that he is finally getting his wish. Bayern Munich fans will have to keep their eyes peeled for the next few weeks to get some clarity on this transfer situation.

Whatever happens, one thing is certain: we can expect fireworks soon! Let’s see how Bayern Munich fares in this transfer window, whether they land their man and improve their soccer odds. Stay tuned as this transfer saga unfolds!