TALK to anyone in the game about Leeds talent Kalvin Phillips and the soundbites are always the same.
Such comments as the “finest midfield talent outside the Premier League”, or “seems to get better and better”, or even “when will he play for England?”
Kalvin Phillips deserves an England call-up, says former Leeds boss Neil RedfearnCredit: Getty
Well, the man who set him on the road to stardom believes the time has come for the 24-year-old to receive his maiden call-up to Gareth Southgate’s squad ahead of Euro 2020 this summer.
Former Leeds boss Neil Redfearn handed Phillips his first-team debut, at Wolves in April 2015.
The tough-tackling star — nicknamed the “Yorkshire Pirlo” — has thrived under current boss Marcelo Bielsa in the past two seasons.
Southgate, who was at Elland Road to watch Phillips against Sheffield Wednesday in January, is putting together his Three Lions squad for this month’s scheduled friendlies with Italy and Denmark.
Phillips has never represented England at any level but Redfearn, 54, said: “The talk of Kalvin playing for England is absolutely warranted — and he is at a good age for it.
“Some argue you need to be playing in the Premier League but if you are good enough, it doesn’t matter.
“I don’t think there are many players with Kalvin’s ability to play the holding role to such good effect.
“West Ham’s Declan Rice is a good young player but no better than Kalvin, who would definitely give something to England.
“Leeds create overloads all over the field. Bielsa is very clever with that but Kalvin is key to it.
“He is the perfect build for that position, a powerful player but also has a fantastic range of passing.
“When he was younger, we used to have him as a box-to-box player who would score plenty of goals.
“Bielsa has made Kalvin an expert deep-lying midfielder but he could do both roles.”
Kalvin Phillips has been in superb form for the Whites this seasonCredit: Getty
Few know Phillips, who signed for Leeds when he was 13, better than Redfearn.
The former Newcastle Under-23s coach added: “Kalvin is a Leeds lad and loves the club.
“He’s not only ready for the Premier League, he is ready for England, too.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
