talkSPORT pundit tells Everton-linked midfielder to snub transfer to Aston Villa

Gabby Agbonlahor has told Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips to move to Everton ahead of Aston Villa ahead of the transfer deadline.

The Toffees are reportedly interested in bringing the England international to Goodison Park this season while reports have suggested Unai Emery’s Villans have submitted a loan bid to bring him to Villa Park [Football Insider, 28 July].

Although Villa have Champions League football to look forward to next season, talkSPORT pundit Agbonlahor thinks Merseyside would be a better fit as he wouldn’t play regularly for Emery.

Speaking on talkSPORT on Monday (29 July, 18:07) he said: “There’s no way he’s going to go to a team that finished fourth last season, has Champions League, and is going to start.

“You look at teams he could go to, Crystal Palace are a bad example and Fulham are a bad example, but there are teams in the Premier League he could go to.

“Maybe Everton? Amadou Onana’s gone, could he go to Everton and the way Sean Dyche plays could Sean Dyche just say to him ‘Kalvin, get me that ball back’?

“Then he just gives it to that other midfielder, Idrissa Geuye or whoever it is in there and they do the work.”

Will Kalvin Phillips exit Manchester City amid Everton and Aston Villa transfer speculation?

On the face of it, Abgonlahor is right. If Phillips goes to Aston Villa he is going to be little more than a rotation option to provide some cover as Boubacar Kamara continues to recover from injury at the start of the season.

At Goodison Park, however, the England international would likely be a regular starter at the base of Dyche’s midfield and the Everton boss would give him the confidence to get back to his best.

Whether the Toffees can afford to match Manchester City’s valuation however remains to be seen and their desire to pursue a loan deal rather than a permanent switch could make this a difficult deal to get over the line.

If Dyche is as keen to sign the City man as has been reported, the Toffees should be doing all that they can to try and bring him to Merseyside. It won’t be easy to beat Villa to his signature but it is still doable.

In other Everton news, the Toffees’ stance on selling Dominic Calvert-Lewin for £20million has been shared amid links with West Ham

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