Kalvin can fill hole at Magpies
TOON legend Lee Clark has urged Newcastle to seal a deal for No.1 target Kalvin Phillips.
The Manchester City midfielder is at the top of the Magpies’ wish list for the January transfer window, but the champions want a £7million loan fee with an obligation for a permanent deal.
Clark believes luring Phillips to St James’ Park would free up Bruno Guimaraes to play a more influential role.
The former Newcastle midfielder (below) said: “There has been talk of Kalvin coming to St James’ for a while and he’s just the player needed – he would be a good signing.
“It would make a big difference to the team to have a proper holding midfielder in there.
“Bruno has been sitting deeper and you really want him further forward with his quality.
“If they could play Phillips in the holding role it’s an important job, sitting in and breaking up the play when others have gone forward.
“He was excellent in that role for Leeds and has also done it so well for England – it just hasn’t worked out for him at City but we’ve seen what a good player he is.
“If Eddie Howe had him in that position, that would ensure Bruno could be further forward initiating attacks and creating for the strikers.”
Guimaraes has been linked with Paris Saintgermain, but Clark added: “You don’t want to be selling any prize assets, we are without key players due to injury as it is.
“It’s been a huge problem for Eddie and that will probably influence what business is done in the transfer market.
“Obviously there is the need to comply with Financial Fair Play rules and the commercial side is being built up so there is more money to spend in future.”