Sheffield United warning issued over Man City, Kalvin Phillips transfer decision | OneFootball

FLW’s Sheffield United fan pundit has offered his thoughts on how much the Blades should pay to sign Kalvin Phillips permanently.

Sheffield United will be hopeful of ending their Championship season on a high after returning to winning ways last weekend.

The Blades staged a remarkable comeback over play-off chasing Hull City at Bramall Lane, first falling behind to a strike from ex-Blade Oli McBurnie in the opening five minutes.

But the final five minutes of the contest would see the game flip on its head, as a Gustavo Hamer penalty brought the scores level, before an instinctive finish from Danny Ings in the 88th minute sparked pandemonium in the stands of the Steel City.

It was a welcome result for boss Chris Wilder, who had been feeling the heat from the Sheffield United faithful following a winless run of six matches, but hopefully a precious three points can help spark a positive ending to the season as just four games remain.

Undoubtedly, the Sheffield United hierarchy will be looking ahead to next season given the Blades are in no relegation danger, so they will be thinking about what their squad will want to look like for next term.

One of the key decisions will be about whether to make Kalvin Phillips’ loan stay from Manchester City is made a permanent one, with Wilder admitting they would like to bring the midfielder back to the club next season, despite his stint being blighted by suspension and injury.

Phillips has played just three times in the red and white stripes, with a knee issue following on from his sending off against bitter rivals Sheffield Wednesday.

Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield: "He'll have a lot of people still after him (Phillips).

"We've brought a really good pro in. He was unlucky with his injury, and he's not played as much as he wanted to play.

"I spoke to him and said we'd love to be an option for you, your agent and your parent club if that is a possibility.

"He certainly ticks the box in terms of personality and characteristics, off the pitch and on it.

"If there's an opportunity, I'm sure we'll try and explore that one."

With this in mind, FLW’s Sheffield United fan pundit has commented on how much the Blades should spend to bring Phillips to the Steel City on a full-time basis.

Sheffield United urged to not ‘pay over the odds’ for Kalvin Phillips

Speaking to Football League World, Sheffield United fan pundit Jimmy (AKA Blades Ramble) has admitted he would like to see Kalvin Phillips remain at Bramall Lane for next season, but insists the club has to be “sensible” over their finances and not “pay over the odds” for the midfielder as they lose their parachute payments from the Premier League this summer.

Jimmy told FLW: “Kalvin Phillips, how much should we pay permanently? Not a lot, is what I’d honestly say.

“That doesn’t dispute how good a player he is, or how good a player he has been and potentially could be again. I think he’d be a great signing for Sheffield United, but it has to be the right financial deal.

“We have to be sensible as a football club, we can’t expect these sorts of signings coming in for big money when we have no parachute payments.

“I fully expect us to shift a load out in the summer, that will obviously be dependent on takers, and I expect us to be working with a smaller squad as it’s been bloated this year, it needs more balance and needs more leaders.

“I would put Kalvin Phillips in that category due to the experience that he’s got. He certainly commands respect with his reputation and I do believe that if we keep him fit, he would be a huge asset for us, but that’s offset by the risk of the financial commitments, so I wouldn’t be paying over the odds for Kalvin Phillips, although I think he can add something to the side.”

While Sheffield United won’t be in a position to spend the big bucks next season given their financial situation, they could still be able to land Kalvin Phillips on a relatively cheap deal given his current situation at the Etihad Stadium.

The midfielder is clearly surplus to requirements under Pep Guardiola, and Manchester City must be keen to sell the 30-year-old at all costs, with his move to the blue half of Manchester never destined to work out.

Phillips clearly feels back at home in Yorkshire, and while he hasn’t played anywhere near as he would have liked, still possesses the quality to be a big success in the second tier and help get the Blades fighting up the Championship standings next season.

The only worry will be the amount of expected competition for his signature, but given the fact the club are so insistent on having him back, that might make Phillips want his preferred destination to be Bramall Lane.

Provided the deal is relatively cheap, it’s a move that seemingly suits all parties, with Phillips then hopefully able to have regular gametime and show he hasn’t lost his magic while on a Championship stage.