NEWCASTLE are facing a battle to persuade Manchester City to loan them Kalvin Phillips.
Toon want City’s England midfielder in January as £55million summer buy Sandro Tonali faces a lengthy ban after admitting betting offences while at AC Milan.
The Magpies are keeping tabs on City outcast Phillips, 27, who said he will consider his Etihad future after being frozen out of the first XI.
Boss Pep Guardiola is likely to let him leave on loan in January but will wait to see whether Newcastle are title rivals once the window opens.
West Ham and German giants Bayern Munich have also shown interest in the England star, who was told he could leave in the summer but instead decided to fight for his spot at the Treble winners.
Yet Phillips has made just three sub appearances in the Prem this term.
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And Guardiola admits he has failed to get the best out of him since he arrived from Leeds in a £45million deal in 2022.
Magpies boss Eddie Howe faces a huge decision over whether to play Tonali, 23, against Crystal Palace tomorrow.
The Azzurri ace faces a ban of up to three years after confessing to betting on his former side.
He and Aston Villa’s Nicolo Zaniolo were sent home from the Italy squad last week after being quizzed by cops.
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Juventus star Nicolo Fagioli was handed a one-year ban, with five months suspended.
Newcastle say Tonali is cooperating with the probe. His agent Giuseppe Riso said: “He knows he has made a mistake.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
