Kalvin Phillips transfer from Leeds United to Manchester City a step closer with medical expected on Friday

Leeds United's Kalvin Phillips is expected to undergo a Manchester City medical on Friday.

With a fee, thought to be £42m rising to £45m, agreed for the England international last week, the only delay in the transfer was Phillips's holiday, but the holding midfielder is expected to be in the north west for physical tests on Friday.

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The loss of a home-grown player and boyhood fan who was one of the stars of last summer's European Championships is a blow to Leeds, but they felt unable to stand in the 26-year-old's way of playing Champions League football for Pep Guardiola's reigning Premier League champions once an acceptable offer was made.

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MEDICAL: Manchester City are expected to run the rule of Leeds United's Kalvin Phillips on FridayMEDICAL: Manchester City are expected to run the rule of Leeds United's Kalvin Phillips on Friday
MEDICAL: Manchester City are expected to run the rule of Leeds United's Kalvin Phillips on Friday

City's desire to get the deal wrapped up before they return for pre-season training at least gives Leeds time to sign a replacement.

Spanish midfielder Marc Roca arrived from Bayern Munich for around £10m earlier this month, but is seen as a back-up player rather than an out-and-out first-choice replacement for Phillips.

Names linked with that job include Tyler Adams and Mohamed Camara, who play for coach Jesse Marsch's former clubs Leipzig and Salzburg. There are no guarantees on either, however, with Brighton and Hove Albion thought a more likely destination for Camara, and Leipzig's on-going legal dispute with Leeds over Jean-Kevin Augustin a stumbling block over a deal for American Adams. The clubs are still arguing over whether Leeds owe £18m over an obligation to make Augustin's 2020 loan permanent after winning promotion to the Premier League.

City see Phillips as a replacement for the retiring Fernandinho. They often play a 4-1-4-1 formation, and the anchor role in that is what shot Phillips to prominence, allowing him to break up and start attacks from a deep position. Leeds are unlikely to play that way often under Marsch.

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Phillips is the second Leeds-born player signed by City this summer after striker Erling Haaland, son of their former Norway midfielder Alf Inge.

The departure of Phillips will break the Pemier League's longest-standing record for a club's most expensive sale, but is likely to be quickly trumped by Raphinha, who is interesting Chelsea and Barcelona and could go for around £10m more.

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