Aston Villa fans will be excited by the possibility of their club signing Leeds midfielder Kalvin Phillips this summer, according to journalist Pete O'Rourke.
Phillips has spent his entire footballing career at Elland Road, but he could be prised away from Leeds when the transfer window re-opens.
What's the latest news involving Phillips?
The 26-year-old had a stunning 2020/21 campaign as he helped Leeds finish inside the top half of the Premier League table, and then started all seven of England's matches at the European Championships as Gareth Southgate's men made it to the final at Wembley.
This season has been a frustrating one for the 19-cap international as he has been out of action with a hamstring injury since December.
He is still very much in demand, though, and it has been reported that Villa are currently leading the race to sign him for £60m this summer. West Ham and Newcastle are also believed to be interested in acquiring his services.
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What has O'Rourke said about Phillips potentially joining Villa?
O'Rourke rates Phillips highly, and thinks Villa supporters should be looking forward to the prospect of the holding midfielder potentially arriving at Villa Park in the coming months.
He told GIVEMESPORT: “It’s a real exciting prospect for Villa fans that they’re actually in the race for Kalvin Phillips.”
Would Phillips be the ideal signing for Villa?
Absolutely.
It is no secret that Villa have wanted to bring in a defensive midfielder for some time, but they have not been able to find the right one. Now, in Phillips, they appear to have identified the perfect player to shield the back four.
Phillips is not the most eye-catching player, but there can be no doubting his importance to the teams that he plays for. Southgate trusts him completely at international level, while it is no coincidence that Leeds have slipped into a relegation battle as he has had to watch on from the sidelines.
Villa have some fine attacking players in the shape of Ollie Watkins, Danny Ings and Philippe Coutinho, but they need to gain a little more control in midfield if they want to challenge for a European spot next term.
Phillips could give them this, and play a significant role in taking the club to the next level if he decides to join Steven Gerrard's side in the off-season.