Former Premier League striker Peter Crouch believes Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips is the player Manchester United need to elevate them into title challengers.
After helping his boyhood club earn promotion to the topflight in 2020, Phillips has established himself as one of the best holding midfielders in the country.
The 25-year-old is now a regular in Gareth Southgate’s first-choice England team alongside Declan Rice and is also the player that keeps Leeds ticking in the centre of the park.
He played a vital role in both helping the Whites secure a ninth-placed finish in their first season back in the Premier League and England going within a penalty shootout of winning this summer’s European Championships.
His ability to recover possession, cover ground and arrow passes both short and long distances now make him one of the most highly coveted players in the league, with several of the top-six clubs reportedly interested in his signature.
Despite the speculation linking him with a move away, Leeds are reportedly confident that Phillips will sign a new deal with the club in the not so distance future.
But that has not stopped Crouch from linking him with rivals Man United in his latest Daily Mail column due to their recent dip in form.
The partnership of Fred and Scott McTominay has frequently come under scrutiny in recent months and Crouch believes it is that midfield area that is preventing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side from reaching the levels of Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea.
He said: “Put Declan Rice or Kalvin Phillips in there — spending another huge amount on a new signing — and it arguably becomes the strongest group in the league.
“That is why it is baffling, with just a central midfielder lacking, that we do not really believe — not when pressed — they can go on and win this title. It is hard to put your finger on, because one player should not define a team’s destiny to such a degree."
