Ipswich Town will be shocked at Man City's Kalvin Phillips decision | OneFootball

Ipswich Town may just be surprised to learn of a fresh development at Manchester City involving Kalvin Phillips

Ipswich Town will be bidding to dust off any potential hangover inflicted by relegation from the Premier League and achieve an instant return under popular head coach Kieran McKenna, who has conducted an overhaul of the squad by enlisting a raft of new recruits and parting ways with many of the heroes who inspired the Tractor Boys' consecutive promotions from League One to the top-flight.

The Suffolk-based outfit saw their rollercoaster ride slam to an abrupt halt when, much like fellow freshly-promoted duo Leicester City and Southampton, they struggled to acclimatise to the chasm between English football's top two tiers and helplessly suffered relegation straight back to the Championship.

Ipswich managed to chalk up just four victories and a meager 22 points on the board, which resulted in instant relegation and a 19th-placed finish, some 16 points shy of safety. But, of course, they will now be looking to dust off the cobwebs - which may still linger after a surprisingly slow start to the new season, it must be said - and right their wrongs from the previous season by lighting up the Championship once again.

It was a bitterly-disappointing season for Ipswich and, regrettably, Manchester City's Kalvin Phillips was a symbol of that disappointment, with the former Leeds United and England midfield star starting just 14 matches in an injury-disrupted campaign, having failed to make too much of an impression when fully fit, too.

Naturally, then, the latest developments involving Phillips' future with Pep Guardiola's side will come as something of a surprise for all at Portman Road.

Kalvin Phillips named in Manchester City's Premier League squad after Ipswich Town disappointment

Phillips' career has been on a downward spiral ever since his ill-fated £45 million move from Leeds to Man City in the summer of 2022.

Affectionately dubbed the "Yorkshire Pirlo" by the Elland Road faithful, Phillips has failed to take his game to the next level after leaving his boyhood club, falling out of favour under Guardiola and struggling to leave any sort of mark on the first-team throughout his time with the Premier League giants.

Indeed, Phillips has made just 16 Premier League appearances for the Cityzens, next to none as a starter, and has undertaken two unsuccessful loan stints away from the Etihad Stadium with West Ham United and then, of course, at Ipswich last season.

So, it has to be classed as a surprise that reports suggest Phillips, who has not featured for City since turning out in the Club World Cup back in 2023, is set to be handed a place in Guardiola's 25-man Premier League squad and a chance to redeem his career with the club.

Many had, quite naturally, expected the 29-year-old to head out of the exit door once again, perhaps on a permanent basis this time considering his struggles to enforce himself in the blue side of Manchester, but that's not to be the case and he may just end up forcing his way back into Guardiola's thinking against all odds.

Ipswich Town will be shocked at Man City, Kalvin Phillips news

Ipswich, of course, will be particularly surprised at this development, having surely struggled to envisage any sort of future at City for Phillips after his fairly-disappointing stay in Suffolk.

Availability was a notable issue and, when he did get on the pitch, glimpses of the quality that saw him earn a reputation as one of English football's most gifted midfield operators were present, though not displayed frequently enough to entertain the thought of a career redemption with the Sky Blues.

Phillips did not leave Ipswich with particularly ill feeling, and, given his struggles over the last few years, it would make for a compelling renaissance story to see him finally kick on back at City. Time will only tell whether that's the case, though, or if another spell stuck on the sidelines awaits.