Manchester City Reveal Kalvin Phillips Shirt Number Following Official Confirmation Of Transfer

Manchester City have revealed that new signing Kalvin Phillips has selected a rather famous squad number. 

Kalvin Phillips, who has become Pep Guardiola’s third signing of the summer, was officially announced on Monday after completing an initial £42 million transfer from Leeds United. 

The 26-year-old replaces club legend Fernandinho after the Brazilian left the Premier League champions at the end of the 2021/22 campaign after spending nine years at the Etihad Stadium. 

Phillips made 20 Premier League appearances in an injury-plagued campaign for the Whites as Jesse Marsch’s side confirmed top-flight survival on the final day of the season with a victory over Brentford - whom City will conclude their 2022/23 season against. 

Having made his debut in 2015, the England midfielder made 233 showings for his boyhood club and played an integral role in Leeds’ return to the Premier League under Marcelo Bielsa. 

Gareth Southgate handed the Yorkshireman his senior England debut in 2020 and Phillips has since made 23 senior caps for the Three Lions - most recently in the shock 4-0 UEFA Nations League defeat to Hungary last month. 

Phillips turned down interest from numerous other Premier League clubs and becomes Pep Guardiola’s latest English signing - less than 12 months after Jack Grealish completed a £100 million move from Aston Villa. 

After announcing the signing of the 26-year-old, Manchester City revealed the Yorkshireman had selected a famous squad number.

Phillips has inherited the number four shirt at the Etihad Stadium - the squad number most commonly associated with club legend and former skipper Vincent Kompany. 

The Belgian, who recently became the head coach at Burnley, made 360 appearances and won 12 trophies at the Etihad Stadium - including four Premier League titles.

Kompany had worn the number 4 since 2010, with Nedum Onuoha and Stephen Jordan the previous holders of the shirt. 

City Xtra exclusively reported recently that Phillips' fellow summer signing Erling Haaland has chosen the number nine shirt and that Julian Alvarez selected a number that will ‘surprise’ supporters, according to a source close to the player. 

All of City’s summer recruits are to be unveiled at an event on Sunday at the Etihad Stadium, with Phillips joining Haaland, Alvarez and new goalkeeper Stefan Ortega. 

Phillips is also expected to be part of Pep Guardiola’s pre-season tour squad as City return to the United States for friendlies against Club America and Bayern Munich before their Community Shield clash against Liverpool at the end of the month.