Newcastle United are reportedly interested in roping in Manchester City star Kalvin Phillips on a short-term loan move in the January window.
Phillips, 28, has failed to make an impact at the Etihad Stadium since arriving from Leeds United in a potential £45 million deal in 2022. He has scored just one goal in 31 matches across competitions for City.
A 31-cap England international, the right-footed defensive midfielder has made just 10 appearances, including four in the Premier League, this season. He has started two of them, racking up 318 minutes so far.
Now, according to The Telegraph, Newcastle are hoping to sign Phillips on a short-term temporary switch next January. They are not expected to launch a permanent move due to the Profit and Sustainability rules.
Magpies manager Eddie Howe is believed to be a long-term admirer of the holding midfielder. However, he is expected to ward off competition from Juventus, Everton and Crystal Palace in the pursuit of the player.
Phillips, who has a contract at Manchester City until June 2028, could opt to seal a loan switch to Newcastle in search of regular minutes. He would compete with Joe the likes of Joe Willock and Sean Longstaff.
Chris Sutton offers prediction for upcoming Everton-Manchester City league encounter
In his column for the BBC, former Chelsea striker Chris Sutton predicted a surprise 1-1 draw between Everton and Manchester City in their Premier League match this Wednesday (December 27). He wrote:
"I really like what Everton are doing and I can see them giving the world champions a good game. Manchester City will kick into gear at some point but I am not sure it will happen at Goodison Park. We don't know if Erling Haaland will be fit to start and it's probably too soon for Kevin de Bruyne to come back from injury too."
Backing Sean Dyche's outfit to win a point against City, Sutton added:
"Everton are relentless at the moment, and even [in a 2-1 loss] against Tottenham Hotspur they kept going and almost snatched a point at the end. I can see them getting some reward this time."
While Pep Guardiola's side are fifth in the 2023-24 league table with 34 points from 17 games, Everton are 17th with 16 points from 18 outings.
The Cityzens boast a signifcant upper-hand over Everton in terms of head-to-head record, registering 11 triumphs in their past 12 meetings.