Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have reportedly joined the race to sign Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips before the January transfer window closes for business.
The England international is set to leave the Etihad Stadium on loan before the winter deadline, and he is being heavily linked with a number of Premier League clubs.
Crystal Palace, West Ham United and Newcastle United are all keen, while there have been claims that Tottenham Hotspur are also keeping a close eye on his situation.
According to The Telegraph, Phillips's future will be decided next week, and he could also have the option of moving to La Liga for the second half of the season, with both Barcelona and Atletico interested.
The report claims that Newcastle had been at the head of the queue, but the Magpies are not currently seen as the favourites, as they are not prepared to accept Man City's terms.
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The Premier League champions allegedly want a £7m loan fee, while they also want to include an obligation to buy the midfielder for £40m this summer.
Newcastle, who have lost Joelinton to a long-term groin issue, are not believed to be willing to commit to those terms, as Phillips is also on substantial wages.
Barcelona are believed to view Phillips as an ideal loan signing this month, having lost key midfielder Gavi to an ACL injury for the remainder of the season.
However, the Catalan outfit's well-documented financial problems will make a deal difficult, with their head coach Xavi claiming on Wednesday that further winter signings are unlikely.
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Atletico are also said to be exploring a deal, with the Red and Whites looking to boost their midfield options for the second half of the season, which will involve European and domestic football.
Phillips needs regular action in the final months of the 2023-24 campaign to be certain of a spot in the England squad for this summer's European Championship.
As a result, he is likely to want guarantees over playing time before making a decision on his next club, and a move will also depend on Man City agreeing a deal with the interested party.
Phillips has only made 31 appearances for the Citizens since arriving from Leeds United in the summer of 2022, with just 16 of those outings coming in the Premier League.
This season, the England international has featured just 10 times, while he has only played 89 minutes of Premier League football during the current campaign.
Matt Law
