Kalvin Phillips’ new Manchester City shirt number revealed after Tijjani Reijnders move | OneFootball

Manchester City have been forced to hand Kalvin Phillips a new squad number after the signing of Tijjani Reijnders and the decision to retain the England international.

Phillips’ future at the Etihad Stadium has been under intense scrutiny for well over a year, with the former Leeds United midfielder struggling to secure a regular role under Pep Guardiola largely since his arrival at the club.

Despite interest from sides in England and abroad during the most recent summer transfer window, City opted against sanctioning an exit and instead decided to keep him in the squad, at least until January.

However, such a move has led to an administrative change involving his shirt number, with Tijjani Reijnders – who joined Manchester City in a big-money deal earlier in the summer – arrived with the expectation of taking a prominent role in midfield.

Upon his unveiling, the Netherlands international was immediately allocated the No.4 shirt, a number Phillips had previously held. That development has created a reshuffle, with Phillips having to accept a different number for the months ahead.

For Phillips, the situation encapsulates his challenging spell at City since joining from Leeds in 2022. Injuries, competition from world-class midfielders, and tactical limitations have combined to limit his playing time.

Now, following the decision to retain Kalvin Phillips until the January transfer window at the very earliest, the England international has been handed a brand new shirt number in light of Reijnders taking the No.4 upon his signing at the club.

As confirmed on the official club website and in training ground imagery, Phillips will seemingly wear the No.44 shirt for Manchester City, should he star for the club on the pitch in the coming weeks and months ahead.

Looking ahead, the question remains whether this reshuffle will mark a genuine turning point for Kalvin Phillips. Guardiola has previously praised the midfielder’s professionalism and attitude in training, but opportunities in competitive fixtures have been scarce.

A strong run of performances in cup matches or during squad rotation could help Phillips alter his long-term prospects, perhaps attracting better propositions in the transfer market as soon as the winter window.

Speculation will inevitably continue as the January market approaches, with clubs from the Premier League and further afield expected to revisit their interest in the midfielder, particularly if he remains on the fringes of Pep Guardiola’s plans – as is expected.