Championship club set to miss out on Liverpool defender after more high-profile interest

Cardiff City could fail to sign Liverpool defender Nat Phillips amid summer interest from Ipswich Town and FSV Mainz 05

Liverpool defender Nat Phillips is a target for Ipswich Town and Mainz 05 as Cardiff City struggles with the price tag. Phillips joined Cardiff on a loan deal during January until the last season and brought stability into the team.

Cardiff finished the EFL Championship season in 12^th position, conceding a lot of goals in their highly inconsistent season. However, Phillips gained attention as he played regularly in the backline and showed his dominant presence for the Bluebirds.

The 27-year-old progressed from the Liverpool academy and spent numerous loan spells to gain first-team experiences throughout his career. Phillips played a crucial role under Jurgen Klopp during the 2020-21 season when Liverpool lacked sufficient depth in the defence department.

The Englishman’s performances allowed Liverpool to achieve the Champions League qualification that season after their defensive struggle. Last season, Phillips made 26 appearances in all competitions for Cardiff and Celtic combined and scored a goal.

According to WalesOnline (via Liverpool Echo), Cardiff are stepping back from their pursuit of Phillips due to the price tag. The Reds want £8 mil. for Phillips with clubs like Mainz and Ipswich interested in the defender.

Ipswich earned a promotion to the Premier League last season and they need players with top-level experience. Meanwhile, Mainz are facing issues with price tags in their chase for Sepp van den Berg with Phillip’s price attainable.

Liverpool are also seeking a defensive recruitment after their last season’s struggle with keeping clean sheets. The Reds have Jarell Quansah, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez and captain Virgil van Dijk as the current options.

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Phillip’s potential transfer could boost the Reds’ transfer budget to chase their defensive target during the summer. Liverpool have consistently used the transfer market wisely while making deals that are beneficial for both the outgoing player and the club.