Italian giants Juventus have pulled out of the race to sign Manchester City's Kalvin Phillips, giving Premier League clubs a major boost in their pursuit of the England midfielder.
Juventus had been interested in signing Phillips on loan, with City continuing to pay the majority of his wages. However, the club has decided that the financial packages required to secure Phillips or Tottenham's Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg are too costly.
Juve director Cristiano Giuntoli stated, "We don't see any opportunity from a technical or financial point of view. We look for correct opportunities and can't see any now."
Phillips, 28, is eager for a move to enhance his hopes of making the Euro 2024 squad. Newcastle United are interested in signing him for the remainder of the season, but they are hesitant to pay a large loan fee.
Manchester City is reported to be demanding £5 million for Phillips' departure this month. They also want an obligation for the buying club to pay around £40 million, the same fee City paid to sign Phillips from Leeds United 18 months ago.
Phillips has attracted interest from several other Premier League clubs. Crystal Palace and Fulham are said to be huge admirers of the England international. Additionally, SunSport has exclusively revealed that Manchester United could make a bid for Phillips at the end of the season.
There is still a possibility that Phillips could be loaned out this month to French side Paris Saint-Germain. However, City may need to lower their demands in order to offload the midfielder.
