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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Daniel Feliciano

Manchester United fans call for shock Kalvin Phillips transfer move after England beat Croatia

Manchester United fans were watching England's Euro 2020 opener with Croatia with their transfer cap on if social media is anything to go by after the game.

England opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over the 2018 World Cup finalists thanks to a Raheem Sterling goal in the second half at Wembley, giving them all three points in Group D.

While the Manchester City man was awarded the man of the match award by UEFA for his performance, it was a different player who earned the plaudits of the fans online - Leeds United defensive midfielder Kalvin Phillips.

The 25-year-old enjoyed a fantastic season with Marcelo Bielsa's side in their first Premier League campaign in 16 years and earned a starting spot in Gareth Southgate's midfield for the game. His passing was a joy to behold and his fitness was levels above anyone else's, as he fulfilled a box-to-box role alongside Declan Rice from the centre of the pitch.

The Yorkshireman played a pivotal role in England's goal, skipping past a defender before laying on the assist for Sterling and BBC host Gary Lineker named him as his own personal man of the match for the game.

Some United fans were in agreement and took to Twitter to call for the club to make a shock move to bring him into the club for the holding role in midfield that they currently have vacant.

If Phillips were to join the Old Trafford club this summer he'd become just the fourth Leeds player to move directly to Manchester United in the Premier League era after Eric Cantona, Rio Ferdinand and Alan Smith.

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