BRENDAN RODGERS is poised to raid his former club Liverpool for centre-back Nat Phillips.
The Celtic manager is closing in on a season-long loan deal for the 26-year-old who is fifth in the pecking order for the central defensive slot at Anfield, according to a report in The Times.
Rodgers is searching for reinforcements in the middle of the Hoops rearguard with Cameron Carter-Vickers, Maik Nawrocki and Stephen Welsh all injured and sidelined for a lengthy period.
CROCKED…Celtic’s defensive rock Cameron Carter-Vickers will be ruled out for at least two months.
Phillips made 20 first-team appearances for the Reds in season 2020/21, but has had only eight outings since that campaign and is heading for the Merseyside club’s exit.
Championship teams Leeds United and Middlesbrough have been chasing the player in recent weeks, but it appears he is on his way to the champions and could even make a quickfire debut alongside new Bhoy Gustaf Lagerbiekle at Ibrox on Sunday.
Bolton-born Phillips, who had had previous temporary transfers at Bundesliga outfit VfB Stuttgart and Bournemouth, has been frustrated in his attempts to dislodge the likes of ex-Celt Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip in his efforts to get into the top side.
Jurgen Klopp also introduced 20-year-old Jarell Quansah to the team that beat Newcastle United 2-1 at St James’s Park at the weekend.
The time looks right for Phillips to move on and Parkhead now seems to be his most likely destination.
