The Whites could finally fix their outstanding issue with one big signing.
Leeds United kickstarted their Championship campaign on Sunday afternoon, but were shown an outstanding frailty which Daniel Farke will seek to rectify…
Is Nat Phillips joining Leeds United?
For all the positives to take from the 2-2 draw with Cardiff City, once again their defensive weaknesses were showcased dramatically, forcing them to battle from two goals down just to earn a point.
This has been a longstanding issue for the Whites, and one which their new boss likely hopes to fix before the summer window slams shut on September 1st.
Fortunately, journalist Rudy Galetti has offered a fresh update on their pursuit of Nat Phillips, actually suggesting that they are surprisingly close to agreeing a move
for the Liverpool ace. The Italian writer noted: “Advanced talks between #LeedsUTD and #Liverpool for Nat #Phillips. The parties are discussing some details about
the proposal set at ~£10m add-ons included.”
How good is Nat Phillips?
Despite dominating large portions of yesterday’s game, as they enjoyed 72% possession and recorded 25 shots, their threadbare backline reared its ugly head once
again.
Just last season saw the Yorkshire side ship 78 Premier League goals, the most of anyone in the division. This came a year after conceding a further 79 during the
2021/22 campaign too as they narrowly avoided the drop.
For all their control, the opposition still amassed 1.34 expected goals from just 28% possession, suggesting that the defence underperformed yet again in what is
becoming a frustrating habit.
So, the acquisition of a steely operator like Phillips, who will happily put his body on the line to prevent a goal, could prove a key asset in shoring up their biggest
issue and helping them take a massive step towards an instant top-flight return.
After all, the 26-year-old stopper has already engineered one promotion, given he enjoyed a fine six-month loan spell with AFC Bournemouth during the 2021/22
season.
Throughout that period, in which he would amass 17 Championship appearances, he maintained a 7.04 average rating upheld through his 1.5 interceptions and
mammoth 4.1 clearances per game, via Sofascore.
For comparison, only one Leeds player equalled his clearances in the Premier League last campaign, and he has since left Elland Road.
However, this has not been his sole success since bursting through from Liverpool’s academy. He even starred under Jurgen Klopp for a relatively long period,
helping guide them through their injury crisis with impressive confidence.
His form even led to praise from his German boss, who noted: “In the air he’s a monster but you could see it today, he’s football-wise not bad, really good.” Such a
suggestion came during the 2020/21 campaign, where he would actually uphold a 7.19 average rating in the Premier League that year, seeing his defensive figures
rise to 1.2 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 4.8 clearances per game, via Sofascore.
Phillips is seemingly ready to tackle both Leeds’ current level and the one they seek to return to, with his determination to prevent goals a huge benefit that
underpins his character as a fine defender. Perhaps his entrance could offer some much-needed stability at the back, providing ample foundation for a defence sure
to be rectified with his presence.
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