Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is considering keeping Nat Phillips around his first team after his failed loan spell at Celtic. The 26-year-old had an unsuccessful short term loan move to Glasgow’s East End that was not extended after failing to make the desired impact.
According to This Is Anfield, Klopp is assessing whether to keep Phillips around the first team as defensive cover as he looks to mastermind another Premier League title.
Celtic’s Nat Phillips has training with the squad. Photo Andrew Milligan
After arriving from Anfield, Phillips made just eight appearances and was poor in his cameo against Hibs as well as being at fault in the defeat against versus Killie. The big defender looked shaky after arriving in Glasgow, probably due to not playing a lot of games and did not impress.
Brendan has Liam Scales, Maik Nawrocki and the injured duo of Cameron Carter-Vickers and Stephen Welsh, who will be fit after the January break with Gustaf Lagerbielke able to deputise in the meantime. The Scottish Champions will likely move on Lagerbielke in the January window as well as Yuki Kobayashi, who is expected to return to the J-League.
It would likely come as a surprise to Celtic fans if Klopp decides to use Phillips as a first team option given his displays at Celtic. The likelihood of the player becoming anything other than a peripheral figure at Anfield is slim meaning that he may be best moving away in order to find regular first team football.
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