Ipswich Town boss slams 'nonsense' talk of Leeds United player reunion

Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna has quashed talk that Kalvin Phillips will be recalled by Manchester City in January. The midfielder has been tentatively linked with a return to Leeds United.

Football Insider have claimed he wants to return to Elland Road. However, in response to this, McKenna said over the weekend: “What can I say about that? Proper proper nonsense. You can write something and it gets picked up and becomes a story, absolute nonsense. There have been no conversations of the like and it's a real shame. He had a very good game today.”

Phillips, 28, rose up through the academy ranks at Leeds. He was a regular for his local team at various youth levels before breaking into their first-team.

He went on to play 234 games for the Whites in all competitions and scored 14 goals. The England international became a key player under the guidance of Marcelo Bielsa and played an important role behind the club’s promotion from the Championship in 2020.

Phillips then adapted well to life in the Premier League and was lured away from his boyhood club by Manchester City. However, it has been well documented that he has struggled to make an impact at the Etihad Stadium.

He left on loan for West Ham last January and spent the second-half of the last campaign with the Hammers. Ipswich then came calling this past summer and he was given the green light to link up with the Tractor Boys on a temporary basis.

Phillips told their website at the time: “This is a day I’ve been waiting a number of weeks for now and I’m very happy to be here. I’ve had some great conversations with players I know here and also with the Manager, who I have obviously heard a lot about, and I’m excited to be here and be part of his team, playing how he likes to play the game. 

“The conversations with Kieran McKenna and Mark Ashton have been really good and I followed Ipswich’s season closely last year, so I know the journey the Club has been on and it’s a great story which I’m now excited to be a part of. 

“I want to play as many games as possible, enjoy playing football again and help the team win as many games as possible in the Premier League.” 

Meanwhile, McKenna added: “We are very happy to have Kalvin here and he is a fantastic signing for the football club. He is of course a high-calibre, experienced midfielder who has played at the highest levels of the game, in both club and international football.

“He’s had a fantastic career up until this point and we believe he is going to be a big addition to the group. Kalvin has much to offer us in terms of his qualities both on and off the ball, and he is a really humble and likeable character. He has been a key member of a newly-promoted team in the Premier League before and of course made a big impression for Leeds United during that period.”