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Philips leaving?

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Jurgen Klopp admits Nat Phillips may leave Liverpool in January.
And the Reds manager has likened the improvements the centre-back has made over the last 12 months to those of Robert Lewandowksi during his time at Borussia Dortmund.

Phillips has made just two substitute appearances so far this season after playing 21 times in total last term during an injury-hit campaign for Liverpool.

The former Bolton Wanderers youngster could be in line to start at AC Milan in Tuesday's Champions League dead-rubber.
But Klopp says Phillips may move on for regular game-time in the winter window.

"I don’t think about the AC Milan game, but I have to mention Nat Phillips," said the Reds boss.

"People often ask me which player made the biggest improvements under my leadership, and I say Robert Lewandowski.

"That’s probably right, but not far off that is Nat Phillips, just in a completely different department.

"I remember when I saw Nat Phillips first. I spoke to him after the game and he’s one of the smartest players I ever worked with

"I told him: 'You know you are not the easiest on the eye, eh?’

"But he improved in pretty much everything since, and he’s not playing. Life is sometimes not fair and I can’t blame him.

"We cannot keep him forever, that’s clear. We needed him, just to be safe, for that half-year.

"We will see what happens in the window. He was fine doing it because he’s a great guy.

"But his development is absolutely insane. You saw it last year, you would have said: ‘Nat Phillips, oh my God, he plays in the last line?’

"People love him because of his heading but with his feet he is unbelievable.

"He’s a late starter, but his development is unbelievable. I would sign him for any club except Liverpool because we have him."

Klopp was also asked about how the new attacking strategy that has seen the Reds rattle in 43 Premier League goals in just 14 games.

He added: "It’s a thought process [in the summer]. What can we do? How can we increase the probability of winning football games?

"That’s the challenge for all of us and that was the challenge we had last season.

"I think we were in a good place that season after winning the league, and then we lost important players. Could we have done better? Maybe yes, maybe no.

"That’s not important any more, but we realised just how reliant we were on specific things. I know you mean players, but we mean patterns.

"You can change the players, but you can still stick to your patterns and philosophy and be all right.

"For us, that was not possible any more, so we had to adapt. Over the year, we realised in games we had problems which we didn’t have before.

"When the season was over we were quite positive that the players were coming back and we could build from that.

"We brought in Ibou (Ibrahima Konate) which was really important to give us the security that similar things [to last season] cannot happen any more.

"We kept Nat Phillips, which is not too cool for the boy but he’s fine with it. He improved like crazy in the last year. Now we can rely on this kind of spine.

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I guess that's how we're paying for Traoré
 
That’s an honest assesment by Klopp.
Nat deserves more than to be sat in the bench even for us, he’s more than good enough for any of the top 4. Hopefully to a top 4 italian side or spanish side but assume it’s germany. As long as it’s not Newcastle, at least with for his own sanity.
 
That’s an honest assesment by Klopp.
Nat deserves more than to be sat in the bench even for us, he’s more than good enough for any of the top 4. Hopefully to a top 4 italian side or spanish side but assume it’s germany. As long as it’s not Newcastle, at least with for his own sanity.

Although.... if we can scam £25m+ out of Newcastle - we should probably take it.
 
Although.... if we can scam £25m+ out of Newcastle - we should probably take it.
25m for the legend that is Nat phillips is a fucking steal.

What a player and a man. Along with Ali's goal feels like he singlehandedly dragged us over the CL line.
 
Stuttgart were after signing him on a permanent deal when we recalled him. Wouldn't surprise me if they're back sniffing around him now. The guy was pivotal in our finishing in the top three despite a catastrophic injury list in his position. He deserves more of an opportunity than he's likely to get with us.

Nat Phillips YNWA.
 
Stuttgart were after signing him on a permanent deal when we recalled him. Wouldn't surprise me if they're back sniffing around him now. The guy was pivotal in our finishing in the top three despite a catastrophic injury list in his position. He deserves more of an opportunity than he's likely to get with us.

Nat Phillips YNWA.
Doubt that Stuttgart could afford him now. He was worth about £1 mill when they wanted to sign him.
 
It's a real shame. I wish he was able to start more games for us, I prefer what he brings to the side over Gomez at least. It's weird he didn't start the league cup games, it would surely add to his value.
 
Burnley need to replace Tarkowski at the end of the season too, there should be plenty of takers for Nat. I hope he has a really good career wherever he goes now, Klopp is right we’ve held on to him more than long enough.
 
I thought he'd leave in the summer - I'm really surprised that he signed a new contract. Great for us but surely a bad move for him. I can't imagine any promises were made regarding playing time and that seems to be backed up by what Klopp's said... essentially he was kept as an insurance policy.

My guess is he'll leave for a "reasonable" amount. I can't see anyone paying 25M for him (also if he doesn't have a release clause in that contract he signed, his agent is basically ours).
 
Burnley need to replace Tarkowski at the end of the season too, there should be plenty of takers for Nat. I hope he has a really good career wherever he goes now, Klopp is right we’ve held on to him more than long enough.

This is a decent call, but he could also fit well in a more cultured team.

I was really surprised by the end of last season how good he was a stepping up field with ball and making good passes and he has leadership ability, too.

I have been surprised that he has not had more playing time, because I think he may be our 2nd best defensive leader. But, his pace is not quite good enough to fully support the way we like to play.

Southampton, Palace, Newcastle, Fulham (on the way up), Brighton has two aging starting CBs, and I think Gerrard could be interested at Villa, as a 3rd to rotate with Mings, Konza.

25m really should be the minimum, but we will take less, if necessary to do “right” by Nat.
 
He would have potentially been fanastic with Virgil. Try getting past those two mofos…
 
He would have potentially been fanastic with Virgil. Try getting past those two mofos…

Agreed, except with how high Trent plays, I think his recovery speed is a bit of a hindrance. Matip is quicker than he looks and then Konate & Gomez beat his speed by a mile.
 
Classy as always from Klopp. Nat is a dream story really, he's the sort of player you'd really want to see do well for us, it's a shame it's not worked out, but he'll be remembered fondly for helping bail us out last year. I really like him, top bloke, top attitude and I hope he goes on to have a top career.
 
I'll be sad to see Phillips go, but he has to move on for his career. For my money he's as good as many decent PL CB's. It's speculatiion, but I suspect there's been a long acceptance that he's just capable of being a CB in such an exposed high line. Recovery pace is a must for our CB's and why the likes of Konate was signed.

We'll always be in debt to Phillips for our CL appearances this season, and had Klopp trusted him sooner, and kept Fabs and Hendo in midfield, we wouldn't have been scrambling for CL football on the last day, IMO. Hopefully he secures a good move.
 
I'll be sad to see Phillips go, but he has to move on for his career. For my money he's as good as many decent PL CB's. It's speculatiion, but I suspect there's been a long acceptance that he's just capable of being a CB in such an exposed high line. Recovery pace is a must for our CB's and why the likes of Konate was signed.

We'll always be in debt to Phillips for our CL appearances this season, and had Klopp trusted him sooner, and kept Fabs and Hendo in midfield, we wouldn't have been scrambling for CL football on the last day, IMO. Hopefully he secures a good move.

Which rules our Burnley imo - they're in the shitter.
Not sure where he can go but he'll prolly end up at Newcastle where he'll be part of the revamping of that squad
 
The same Eddie Howe who paid us 40m for Solanke, Ibe and Brad Smith.

Another 40m for Origi and Phillips will do.
 
Origi signed a lifetime contract.
He's only leaving if they offer us what Barca paid us (did they pay us fully yet?) for Coutinho, and even then, it will be reluctantly.
Or they can have Kai Gordon for 60M, which, considering he is cup tied for the CL, would be OK by me
 
If you need to fund Bellingham's transfer, sell Kieta and Gomez. Both might as well not be here with the so few games they play
 
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