At the beginning of last season, a question was asked about the possible departure of KalvinPhillips from his hometown club.
"I'm sure he's going to get disappointed when he leaves," said the Argentine. The way he does it will solidify his link to the club and the people.
A highly expected move to Manchester City is about to happen. The premier league champion have made him their number one transfer target this summer and are expected to pursue a deal more vigorously nowPhillips has completed his international commitments
There is sadness for the Whites and their fan base, but there is acceptance that this deal may be best for the club and player.
What did the City fans think about it? How will the Englishman fit in to the team?
It is obvious that City are looking to signPhillips. Fernandinho left the club this summer after nine years.
He is likely to slot in behind Rodri in the line up for the defensive position.
It's a role thatPhillips knows well from his time at Elland Road, where he spent four years under the management of Bielsa, who did more than anyone to turn the player from adrift in the Championship to winning individual awards for his country.
The shield in front of the defence and the pass-providing quarter-back were both provided byPhillips.
The fact thatPhillips was molded by the Argentine will make him more appealing to the man who likes possession-focused, attack-minded philosophy.
In his potential new club,Phillips is likely to be asked to perform a similar role, albeit in a side with an even greater share of possession in games.
As part of a successful double pivot with Declan Rice,Phillips has demonstrated his ability to operate in a role higher up the pitch.
He did some of his best work pressing high up the field and showing a glimpse of his creative ability with the powerful, driving run and pass for England's opening goal of the tournament against Croatia. He became England's player of the year in 2020.
With Rodri firmly established as the go-to man in the middle of the field, it's not likely thatPhillips will be first choice at City.
The move still presents a risk for the player in a year that ends with the World Cup and his England place not a certainty.
Exposure to the European competition will help his selection chances, but he won't want to be sitting on the bench as there are other players vying for the position.
He was not the only one who was poor in England's humiliation against Hungary.
Is he good enough for a side that wants to defend their title and win Europe for the first time?
The capacity for improvement under a coach who has shown a preference for adding the final polish to burgeoning elite players with the ability to fit his system is one of the reasons whyPhillips is in his favor.
Paul Pogba, who is leaving Manchester United this summer, and Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong have been touted as potential incomings, but neither have the hallmarks of a City signing under Guardiola.
His defensive work is what distinguishes him from those two.
He is in the 95th percentile for tackles won and the 97th percentile for pressures applied to an opponent.
He was not at his best due to an injury. The 95th percentile for completed long passes and 92nd percentile for touches in the defensive third are both indicators of a game about control and progression.
If he wants to compete with Rodri in his distribution and attacking skills, he needs to improve his pass completion and contribution to creating chances.
It's important to show caution in a close comparison. The sides that they played last season were competing for the title and trying to stay alive.
What is unquestionable is Phillips' level of fitness when operating at full steam - a quality honed under the strict regime of Bielsa, which led to Leeds topping the charts for sprints and high-intensity running.
It will be a big loss to the team. They can't afford to lose him.
Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani has been vocal in his desire to follow Leicester's recent approach to the Premier League - namely realising potential by building incrementally through the development and big-money sale of players before reinvesting the proceeds.
This model is compatible with the potential sale ofPhillips.
With his stock high, two years left on his contract, and his 27th birthday approaching, his value is unlikely to be as high as it is now.
The rumour mill is already abuzz with suggestions of replacements, including City's ownRomeo Lavia.
A squad that has served them well but is reaching the end of its shelf life needs to be lifted in order to bolster a midfield that was woefully short of numbers and quality.
One aspect of the sale is whether he is as important to Jesse Marsch's style of playing as he was to the one before him
The American prefers two players in front of his defence as part of a narrow formation that congests play into the centre of the pitch, thus denyingPhillips some of the time and space he was previously afforded to pick long range passes.
A good player will always fit into and improve a side, but if the club is in the business of sacrificing someone for the greater good, changes at the club could have tippedPhillips into the expendable brackets.
Emotions are involved in the muddy water. Since he was 14 years old,Phillips has been with the club and is an example of their rise and return to the premier league.
They won't begrudge him the move. His mark on the city is more than one. While he goes on to win trophies in the blue of City, a mural painted in 2020 will ensure he continues to stand tall over the city centre in the club's colors.
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