3 weeks ago
47 It was recently reported that former Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips is seeking to cut short his loan at Ipswich Town in favour of a return to Elland Road.
However, Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna quickly put these rumours to bed, clarifying Phillips’ current situation and shushing any immediate hopes of a reunion with Leeds.
Phillips’ high-profile transfer £49 move to Manchester City in 2022, was a departure that left many Leeds fans disappointed. But, while he collected both Premier League and Champions League medals with City, his career at Etihad did not unfold as he thought it would.
Limited appearances and a challenging loan spell at West Ham United—marked by inconsistent displays and some off-field controversies—left the England international seeking a fresh start this season with Ipswich Town.
McKenna says Kalvin Phillips’ exit rumours are “proper nonsense”
Addressing the rumours directly, McKenna emphasised that Phillips’ return to Leeds is not in the cards, labelling the reports as “absolute nonsense” and clarifying that there has been no discussion about ending the midfielder’s Ipswich spell prematurely.
Instead, McKenna highlighted Phillips’ positive impact on the Ipswich squad, indicating that the midfielder is an essential piece of his team as the club fights to climb out of the relegation zone.
As quoted via Leeds Live, McKenna said:
“What can I say on that? Proper, proper nonsense.”
“I learned quite a while ago in football that you can write something online and it circulates and gets picked up by quite a lot of media outlets and then it becomes a story. It’s absolute nonsense. There have been no conversations of the like and I think it’s a real, real shame. He had a very good game.”
Former Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips in action for Ipswich Town vs Brentford. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Since joining Ipswich in August on a season-long loan, Phillips has started in six Premier League games, providing valuable experience to the team despite them struggling at the bottom.
McKenna’s comments suggest that he remains determined to keep Phillips focused on Ipswich’s ongoing campaign, signalling a commitment to their top-flight survival efforts.
With Manchester City keen on offloading him permanently, Leeds will likely continue to follow Phillips’ progress closely at the end of the season, keeping the door open for a future Elland Road comeback and the chance to see him don the Leeds shirt once again.
