Man City join Liverpool in £60m transfer battle for Premier League star as Kalvin Phillips nears exit

Manchester City have joined the race to sign Fulham star Joao Palhinha as Kalvin Phillips nears an exit from the club, according to reports.

Palhinha, 28, was close to joining Harry Kane at Bayern Munich on transfer deadline day, with the player flying out to Germany for his medical before a deal ultimately fell through.

The midfielder remains at Fulham currently and has since put pen-to-paper on a new bumper deal, which has extended his contract at the club until 2028.

However, Palhinha continues to be linked with a move away, with a growing list of suitors now circling around the Portuguese international.

According to The Sun, City are set to join both Liverpool and Bayern in the race to sign Palhinha, with the player rated at around £60million by the London-based club.

The report goes on to state that Pep Guardiola views Palhinha as the 'perfect addition' to his City midfield, with England international Kalvin Phillips likely to leave in the near future to make way for the signing.

Phillips, 28, was heavily linked with a move away from the Etihad Stadium this summer, with game time looking limited since completing his move from Leeds in 2022, however remained at the club to try and fight for his place.

However, with just four Premier League appearances to his name this season, which all arrived off the bench, an exit for Phillips now appears inevitable. Juventus, Liverpool and even Fulham have all been credited with an interest in the player, who cost City £42million just over a year ago.

One of the key reasons Palhinha's deadline day move to Bayern fell through was the fact Fulham had no time to secure a suitable replacement. If City agree to off-load Phillips in exchange for Palhinha as well as a significant transfer fee, the deal could work for both parties that are involved.