Newcastle United ready to spend big money to sign Manchester United target - Reports
With their new owners from Saudi Arabia, Newcastle United are ready to give stiff competition to Manchester United. The Red Devils have been weighing options to strengthen their midfield and admire Leeds United player Kalvin Phillips.
Newcastle too have Phillips on their radar and will make life difficult for the Old Trafford outfit in their pursuit of the star. The midfielder's future remains uncertain at Elland Road with the player expected to change agents in the summer. His contract expires in 2024 so renewal of his terms is not amongst the priorities for Leeds as of now.
iNews reports that Aston Villa, who have also been interested in the England international for some time now, have pushed as far as putting together a bid. However, Manchester United are desperate to support their new manager this summer and restore the diminishing reputation of the club.
The Magpies, on the other hand, have performed brilliantly under Eddie Howe to survive relegation and push for the best possible finish in the campaign. The hierarchy will back the manager in pursuing his targets in the summer.
So when Manchester United and Newcastle United start a bidding war, Aston Villa might not be able to keep up. iNews also states that Phillips is worth £55m to the Whites and with the kind of signings we have seen Eddie Howe make in January, the project they are building at St. James' Park is definitely alluring.
They signed Bruno Guimaraes from Olympique Lyon for a club record-fee of 42.1 million and the prospect of pairing him with the Leeds man looks a highly successful one.
The 26-year old played an important role in England's final run at the Euros last year and is expected to be in the starting XI for the World Cup in Qatar as well. Phillips' involvement has been reduced to just 16 appearances this season due to a hamstring injury keeping him on the sidelines for the better part of the season.
Manchester United gear up for Everton clash in the Premier League
Ralf Rangnick's side have been dropping crucial points in the Premier League lately, which has seen them slow down in their race to secure a top-four finish. They have lost one and drawn two games from their last four, winning only on one occasion which has seen them slip to seventh-position with 51 points from 30 games.
Manchester United will visit a struggling Everton team on Saturday at Goodinson park who find themselves just one point above the relegation zone. Since Frank Lampard took charge of the Toffees, they have lost seven and won just two games in the Premier League.
This will be a great opportunity for the Red Devils to inflict further misery on the Merseyside club and gain some ground in their bid to secure a top-four spot.