Adam Forshaw has reiterated Kalvin Phillips’s importance to Leeds United after the club managed to keep hold of their star midfielder this summer.
The Whites were left relieved as the 23-year-old remained in West Yorkshire after Thursday’s 5pm transfer deadline passed.
There was Premier League interest aplenty, with Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur both tracking United’s Thorp Arch academy graduate.
Reports in the national media have now linked Phillips with a January move to Wolves, despite the window only shutting three days ago.
Leeds are believed to have a £30m valuation of Phillips and are in talks to extend his current deal, which expires at the end of the 2020/21 season.
Phillips has started the new season in the same vein as he ended the last, in which he was named in the Championship Team of the Season.
Anchoring the midfield just behind Forshaw and Mateusz Klich, he has wasted no time in reminding the Elland Road faithful of his importance to the team.
Similarly, Forshaw is under no illusions about Phillips’s quality and revealed his delight the club managed to keep him in the summer.
Speaking to the press at Thorp Arch, he said: “First and foremost, it (the transfer speculation) hasn’t affected him or any of us.
“He’s remained so professional throughout, like I said. It’s just business as usual. Nobody has spoken about it.
“Whatever has gone on between clubs, negotiating or whatever, you wouldn’t know about it. He’s a massive part of the team.
“Me, from a selfish point of view, I want him here because I want to get promoted and we want the best players in the team. It’s great news all around.”
The Whites will be looking to get back to winning ways against Salford City in midweek, in their first EFL Cup outing of the season.
They then take on Wigan Athletic next Saturday, who have registered one win and one defeat from their opening two fixtures.
