Kalvin Phillips given chance to revive career

Once considered one of the best defensive midfielders in English football, Kalvin Phillips has spent more than two years in oblivion.

Kalvin Phillips' career is on the rise.

From a £45 million contract with high expectations, he gradually became "redundant" under Pep Guardiola's reign. But surprisingly, this 2025/26 season, Phillips was named in the list of 25 players of Manchester City in the Premier League - a signal showing a door to revive his career at Etihad.

Phillips hasn’t played for City since 2023, when he played in the FIFA Club World Cup. He’s been on loan for the last two seasons: a disappointing spell at West Ham, with silly mistakes, then playing more at Ipswich, but still unable to save the team from relegation. His career seemed to have hit rock bottom when even Guardiola publicly complained about his weight after the 2022 World Cup.

However, after a period of quiet training in the summer, Phillips was retained instead of being pushed out again. Mateo Kovacic's injury until October and concerns about Rodri's overload could open up an opportunity for him to break into the squad. With Pep Guardiola always demanding in terms of tactics and fitness, being given another chance is not easy.

From being named England’s Player of the Year after Euro 2020 to languishing on the bench at the Etihad, Phillips’ journey is a bitter reminder of the harshness of top-flight football. This time around, he’s fighting not just to secure a place at Man City, but also to hold on to any hope of returning to the Three Lions. And perhaps, if he doesn’t take advantage of this last chance, Kalvin Phillips will truly be left behind in history.

Source: https://znews.vn/kalvin-phillips-duoc-trao-co-hoi-song-lai-su-nghiep-post1584844.html