Nathaniel Phillips’ rise at Liverpool has hardly been meteoric, but in a season defined by the personnel missing from action rather than those on the pitch, Phillips’ recent form has given Reds fans something to cheer about.
Having joined Liverpool as a youngster in 2016, Phillips had to wait until January 2020 to make his first-team debut for the Reds, which came against Everton in the FA Cup in between two loan spells at Stuttgart in 2019/20.
At that point, Phillips was behind Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren in the centre back pecking order. Fast forward a year and Phillips; who turned 24 on Sunday, is grasping the opportunity given to him by Liverpool’s baffling injury crisis.
One of two youngsters promoted from the academy along with Rhys Williams, Phillips has recently formed a promising partnership with Schalke loanee Ozan Kabak. Impressive displays have led many in the Liverpool fan community to speculate over Phillips’ future at the club, with many keen for the Reds to hand him a contract extension with his deal believed to expire at the end of June.
That contract situation is now being disputed however, with Phillips’ representatives Murdock Sports claiming that the defender’s contract does not expire this summer as previously thought. No official expiry date has been confirmed by Murdock or Liverpool, with the official club statement following Phillips’ most recent extension vaguely stating that it was “long term” and a little more.
It remains to be seen whether or not Phillips can become a top defender, but the signs are there that he would be a solid squad player if the Reds can get their regular cohort fit and firing.
Liverpool have been linked with a big-money move for Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni while rumours of a permanent deal for Ozan Kabak have persisted since the Turkey international joined on loan. Nathaniel Phillips, who nearly joined Swansea City in the summer, could save the Reds millions in transfer fees if he can convince Jurgen Klopp between now and the rest of the season.
