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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…
Per a report from TEAMtalk, Aston Villa are weighing up yet another move for Leeds’ Kalvin Phillips.
What’s the word?
Leeds have already sold both Pontus Jansson and Jack Clarke in the current transfer window and whilst things don’t look too positive in terms of incomings, another of their key men could be about to leave.
Speculation this summer has been rife surrounding the future of Phillips who earlier in the window attracted the interest of Villa, according to The Telegraph.
Since then they reportedly put in a bid of £11m for the player, which was some way off the £30m asking price Leeds had set.
However, TEAMtalk now suggests that three players could be used in a potential deal in order to land him.
According to the outlet, they believe that Henri Lansbury, Conor Hourihane and James Bree could be used as sweeteners to tempt the Yorkshire club into finally selling him.
Leeds playing a dangerous game
The Whites have had a history when it’s come to financial fair play having been put under an embargo in the 2014/15 season for breaking the rules, something that was eventually lifted after six months.
Only last term we saw the consequences that were laid on Birmingham for breaking profit and sustainability guidelines which ultimately saw them deducted points.
And it appears as though the sale of Jansson to Brentford recently could have been down to the dreaded financial fair play rulings.
After he was moved on, Leeds’ executive director Paul Bell revealed the following:
“There’s a reasonable answer to all of this. You look at the Championship now and Financial Fair Play, or Profitability and Sustainability as it’s now called, has been talked about, talked about, talked about. Last year, for the first time, you saw the rules have teeth.”
Therefore, there are clear worries from inside the Leeds camp over financial matters surrounding the club.
A possible fee of £30m for Phillips makes sense when you take into account the fact they may have to balance their books further. Clubs are under instruction to avoid making a loss of £39m over a three-year rolling period.
However, if Leeds accepted a swap deal involving three players, rather than pushing hard for extra funds, they’d be playing a fine line with financial fair play restrictions and could be putting themselves in danger.
After already undergoing one embargo all those years ago, another ban or even a points deduction will be the last thing they need.
With that in mind, they must refuse a swap and merely demand more cash up front if they do sell Phillips.