Liverpool have been backed to cash in on Nat Phillips during the upcoming January transfer window by BBC radio pundit Alan Hutton. 

This season has seen the centre-back make just four senior appearances for the Reds across all competitions, starting two of them, which suggests that the 25-year-o

ld is not particularly high in Jurgen Klopp’s pecking order.

Despite the Reds boss previously describing Phillips as a “monster” on the pitch, it has recently been claimed by James Pearce in The Athletic that the defender, who is apparently valued at £10m, could be moved out of Anfield in January.

This has duly led to Hutton sharing his thoughts on the situation surrounding the Liverpool centre-back.

THE LATEST: LIVERPOOL BACKED TO SELL PHILLIPS

The former Scotland right-back was asked by Football Insider if £10m would be a reasonable price for Liverpool to accept for Phillips, and whether they would likely cash in on the 25-year-old.

Hutton replied: “I think it is. He is a Premier League centre-half, he has played games for Liverpool. He has been out on loan and done well.

“He is obviously in the mind of Jurgen Klopp, he obviously trusts him or he would not be playing him. If they can get £10m I think that is a half-decent figure for someone with experience in the Premier League.

“He is a good age as well. I think going out and playing somewhere regularly he will be playing at a higher standard within himself. So if they can get that I think they will be more than happy.”

THE VERDICT: EXIT WOULD MAKE SENSE

Bearing in mind the lack of regular game-time that Phillips has had this season, with the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip, Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konate ahead of him in the pecking order, it’s easy to see why a potential move away from Liverpool next month has been mentioned.

Looking ahead to January, if a suitable transfer offer of £10m or more does come in for the defender and it suits all parties, selling Phillips could be the ideal next step, although the Reds will hope that they don’t end up needing him should any injuries crop up throughout the remainder of the season.

Indeed, it was a defensive injury crisis which gave the 25-year-old the vast majority of his senior Liverpool appearances in the 2020/21 campaign.

Source: www.footballtransfertavern.com