West Ham 'pushing' to sign Premier League midfielder in January transfer window

With the January transfer window still active, teams across the country are looking to finalise deal and push transfers over the line - West Ham United are no different, as they are currently eyeing up Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips.

This is according to journalist Fabrizio Romano on X (formerly Twitter), who says that the Hammers are 'working and pushing' for a loan deal, but are waiting for Phillips to 'make his decision'. They are not looking to action a permanent deal - but it is unclear as to whether City would be willing to facilitate this, as they want to move Phillips on a permanent basis.

Would Kalvin Phillips be a good signing for West Ham?

When Declan Rice left West Ham in the summer transfer window to join Arsenal, naturally, he left a massive gap in the Hammers' squad. However, this gaping chasm has largely been filled by the acquisition of Edson Alvarez, who has slotted into the defensive midfielder role seamlessly.

This aside, West Ham do not have much depth in this position - while Tomas Soucek can play there, he is best used in more advanced positions, where he can apply his physicality and height in the final third. This is likely why the Irons do not want to sign him on a permanent basis - Phillips is likely to command a hefty wage and there is no guarantee that he will be a regular member of the starting XI over the 74-cap Mexican international.

Phillips' time at City has been a nightmare for the former Leeds United star. Since he joined the club in the summer of 2022, he has made just 16 Premier League appearances, scoring no goals - he is willing to leave the club and put this miserable spell of his career behind him.