Kalvin Phillips: Man City midfielder makes Deadline Day loan move to Sheffield United
Kalvin Phillips has played just seven minutes of football for Manchester City this season; he will spend the rest of the campaign on loan at Sheffield United in the Championship; Sheff Utd face Oxford Utd on Tuesday, live on Sky Sports+ (kick-off 7.45pm)
Monday 2 February 2026 20:02, UK
Kalvin Phillips has completed a loan move from Manchester City to Sheffield United for the rest of the season.
The midfielder, 30, has been limited to just seven minutes of football this season in the Carabao Cup for City.
Sky Sports News was told there was interest from other clubs, but Phillips was keen for a return to Yorkshire in a bid to rejuvenate his career.
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Phillips played for Leeds for eight years, making 214 appearances, before a £42m move to Manchester City in 2022.
He was part of the squad that won the treble in his first season at the club but made just 21 appearances in all competitions and only 12 in the Premier League.
In total, he made 32 appearances City, and spent part of the last two seasons on loan at West Ham and then Ipswich in the Premier League. He last featured in the Championship for Leeds in 2020.
Phillips has also won 31 England caps and was a key part of the side that made the final at Euro 2020. But his most recent cap came in 2023.
It's thought City will still pay the bulk of Phillips' salary while he is on loan at Bramall Lane.
Redknapp: Phillips wants to go and put himself on the line
Sky Sports' Jamie Redknapp:
"It's sad because making one wrong move can jeopardise everything. He could have gone somewhere else and been a regular starter.
"He went into Manchester City head-to-head with Rodri, didn't win that battle and then all of a sudden you get a bit lost.
"He played in some cup games, didn't play well, the team lost. Straight away the manager loses a bit of faith in you.
"He wants to play, that's a good thing. He wants to go and put himself on the line and go play for Sheffield United. I hope it works out well."
Analysis: Phillips to Sheff Utd could spark career rebuild
Sky Sports News' Ben Ransom:
"It just hasn't worked out for Kalvin Phillips at Man City, and dropping into the Championship might just be the move that finally allows him to rebuild his career.
"Rewind to the summer of 2022, he was one of two Leeds boys that Man City signed for similar transfer fees - the other being Erling Haaland. I spoke to both on the club's pre-season tour in the US that year and they were both excited about what the future might hold.
"Fast forward 12 months and they were both celebrating a historic Treble, but their career paths could not have gone in more different directions. Haaland was integral; Phillips was largely inactive.
"Despite his popularity among the group, Phillips was never able to win the trust of Pep Guardiola and remarkably only ever started six matches in all competitions for City.
"Failed loan spells at West Ham and Ipswich were false starts. Let's hope a move back to Yorkshire is the spark to resurrect his career."
