City signs Leeds' Phillips after completing Jesus sale to Arsenal
England's Kalvin Phillips in action during a UEFA Nations League match against Italy, Wolverhampton, England, June 11, 2022. (Reuters Photo)


Premier League champion Manchester City has swooped in to sign Leeds midfielder Kalvin Phillips for 45 million pounds ($53 million), the club confirmed Monday.

The deal came immediately after it sold Brazilian forward Gabriel Jesus to Arsenal.

City agreed an initial fee of 42 million pounds for the England international, with a further 3 million pounds to be added in potential bonuses.

Phillips, who has signed a six-year contract with Pep Guardiola's side, said: "I am absolutely delighted to have joined Manchester City."

Guardiola has picked Phillips to bolster his midfield after the departure of long-serving Brazilian Fernandinho at the end of last season.

City negotiated a deal in principle to sign Phillips in June and the transfer has now been officially completed.

Phillips, who came through the youth ranks at Leeds, moves to the Etihad Stadium after making 235 appearances for his hometown club over the past eight seasons.

"City have again proved to be the best team in the country with an amazing squad and a manager in Pep Guardiola who is rightly considered to be the finest in the world," Phillips said.

"To be able to play under Pep and learn from him and his coaching staff as well as be part of such a fantastic squad is a prospect that I am incredibly excited about

"City are a world-class club with world-class staff and facilities and it's a dream come true to have joined the club."

Phillips is City's third close-season arrival after the signings of Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland and Arminia Bielefeld goalkeeper Stefan Ortega Moreno.

His arrival came on the day City sold the 25-year-old Brazil international, Jesus, to Arsenal on a long-term contract, reportedly worth 45 million pounds.

Jesus previously worked with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta when the Spaniard was an assistant to City boss Pep Guardiola between 2016 and 2019.

"I'm very excited. The club has done a tremendous job to recruit a player of this stature," Arteta said in a statement.

"I know Gabriel personally very well, and we all know him well from his time in the Premier League and being really successful here.

"This is a position that's been on our radar for a long time now and we have managed to get a player that we all wanted, so I'm really happy."