RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 2 sourcesManchester City midfielders Kalvin Phillips (left) and Elliot Anderson [Getty Images]
When Elliot Anderson completed his £116m move from Nottingham Forest to Manchester City last week, there was a sense of deja vu.
It is not the first time City has signed one of the most sought-after midfielders in the Premier League fresh from an impressive first international tournament with England.
A similar story unfolded in 2022 when Kalvin Phillips left his boyhood club, Leeds United, to join City on a six-year deal.
Fast forward four years and Phillips is on the brink of leaving the Etihad on loan for a fourth time, with the midfielder set to join Sheffield United for a second successive season.
So, is there anything Anderson can learn from Phillips' plight?
How an injury-hit start derailed Phillips' City career
After spending eight seasons in the first team at Elland Road, Phillips helped Leeds secure Premier League survival a year after winning the Championship title.
His performances also earned him a key role in England's run to the European Championships final in 2021, with his move to the Etihad expected to take his career to the next level.
Instead, it marked arguably the most difficult period of his career.
When Phillips arrived at Manchester City ahead of the 2022-23 season, he faced the challenge of breaking into a midfield that had won the Premier League only a few months earlier.
That task became even harder when, after just one substitute appearance in the Premier League for his new club, he was ruled out for almost three months with a shoulder injury sustained in training.
Phillips was sidelined from September and, by the time he returned in November, domestic football was coming to a halt ahead of the World Cup in Qatar.
It left the England international competing with Rodri for a spot in midfield, with the Spain international further establishing himself as City's first-choice holding midfielder.
After making just two substitute appearances for England at the World Cup, Phillips returned in December to find himself out of City's squad for their first game back against Liverpool. Guardiola publicly accused him of being "overweight" and not fit enough to train or play.
By the time Phillips was deemed available for selection, City had found their rhythm. Guardiola's side lost only three of their final 22 Premier League matches as they secured a fifth title in six years.
The club went on to become the first English side in almost a quarter of a century to complete the treble, winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League, with Rodri scoring the winner against Inter Milan in the latter.
In 2024, Phillips, then on loan at Ipswich Town, said Guardiola's comments about his weight had left him feeling "frustrated".
Why Anderson faces a different challenge at City to Phillips
It would be easy to view Phillips' Manchester City career as a story of wasted talent and unfulfilled potential.
With the benefit of hindsight, the circumstances surrounding his £45m move in 2022 paint a more complicated picture.
Anderson is unlikely to face the same challenges during his debut season at City next term.
The club are set to enter a period of transition following Guardiola's departure at the end of last season, with Enzo Maresca appointed as his successor.
It is the biggest change City have faced since Guardiola arrived in 2016 and comes alongside the departures of several long-serving players, including John Stones and Bernardo Silva.
There is also uncertainty surrounding the future of Rodri, with reports in Spain linking the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner with a potential move to Real Madrid.
In 2022, City were fresh from back-to-back Premier League titles and Phillips was expected to compete for a place in midfield with Rodri, who was establishing himself as one of the best players in the world in that position.
However, Anderson faces a different challenge.
As the second most expensive British player of all time, his move to the Etihad has attracted significant attention.
The 23-year-old will be aware of the scrutiny he will face and can use Phillips' struggles as a reminder of the demands that come with playing for one of the biggest clubs in the Premier League.
For Anderson, the next step is adapting quickly to life at City and showing he can become an important part of the club's new era.
Phillips never recovered from Guardiola weight comments - analysis
Phillips' stock was at its highest when he was named England's player of the year at the end of the 2020-21 campaign.
He continued that form with Leeds United before Manchester City decided to pay £45m to sign the player the following summer but his Blues career never took off.
He played only one Premier League game before the 2022 World Cup and it was Guardiola's comments following the tournament which Phillips never really recovered from.
The midfielder attempted to re-ignite his career but endured unsuccessful spells at West Ham and Ipswich over the next two seasons.
There was a brief return in a City shirt last September when he featured for the final seven minutes of a Carabao Cup tie victory at Huddersfield, but it proved to be a false dawn.
A return to Sheffield United again this summer is Phillips' latest attempt to revive his career.
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