Benfica were interested in a loan deal for Liverpool star Nat Phillips
According to The Athletic (h/t Liverpool Echo), Liverpool defender Nat Phillips was subject to a loan approach from Liga Nos side Benfica but it was rebuffed by the Reds.
Benfica manager Roger Schmidt was keen to add Nat Phillips in lieu of an urgent search for defensive reinforcements and Schmidt was impressed by the defender’s performance when he was on loan at VfB Stuttgart in the 19/20 season.
Jurgen Klopp was the decisive factor in the decision and wanted to retain Nat Phillips’s services after the injury to French defender Ibrahime Konate, leaving him short of defensive options.
Nat Philips was speculated to leave the club after falling down the pecking order behind Virgil Van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Joel Matip and Ibrahime Konate.
With youngster Sepp van der Berg showing massive improvement and development, it was evident that Nat Phillips would be given limited minutes in the season.
A move away made sense for all parties but Jurgen Klopp was seen to retain the defender’s services as a precautionary measure for the number of injuries sustained early in the season.
Nat Phillips played a big part in the 20/21 season for Liverpool when they were short of key defenders and helped his team secure Champions League qualification.
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However, the following season saw the return of many first-team starters and again the defenders’ game time was limited.
It would not be wrong to suggest that interested clubs come again to secure his services in the January transfer window if the current situation of limited game time still persists.
