In 2024 West Ham United thought they had hit the jackpot, as they brought a former England player of the year in on-loan. Kalvin Phillips had been the lynchpin to the Three Lion’s run to the Euro 2020 final. The midfielder’s form on the international stage earned him a big money move from Leeds United to then Premier League champions, Manchester City.
With injuries and depth hampering Phillips chance for first-team football, he joined the Hammers looking to reignite his career. The move looked perfect for both parties, with West Ham looking for a defensive midfielder who could connect defence and attack, alongside a player hoping to show his class on the big stage again.
What looked like a good move, failed to transpire, scoring an own goal on his debut, clashing with fans and disappointing performances combined for a terrible time in London. This season, Phillips has headed back to Yorkshire, joining Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United on-loan.
In just Phillip’s third appearance for the Blades, the 30-year-old saw red, being sent off for a studs up challenge on Sheffield Wednesday’s Svante Ingelsson. Boss Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield. that challenge did in deed look bad:
“Once you slow it down it looks pretty bad,” Wilder said.
“Sometimes when you’ve not played a lot of football recently you can get it wrong. We suffer but he suffers more because he’s been outstanding, so for him to miss three games is disappointing.”
Kalvin Phillips’ West Ham nightmare
What once looked a good move, turned sour at lightning pace for Phillips’ at West Ham.
In the midfielder’s first game for the Irons, Phillips passed the ball directly to AFC Bournemouth’s Dominic Solanke to score the opening goal, just three minutes into the game. West Ham would draw the match 1-1, but the start was far from ideal.
Kalvin Phillips 2023/24 West Ham United Statistics
| Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 10 | 0 | 0 |
Phillips would go on to make eight Premier League appearances for the Hammers. Three starts and five caps from the bench.
In the now 30-year-old’s third game in a West Ham shirt, the club would lose 6-0 to London rivals Arsenal. The following week, Phillips was sent off via two yellow cards in the Irons 2-0 away loss to Nottingham Forest.
In West Ham’s 4-3 loss to Newcastle United, Phillips loan spell hit rock bottom. The Hammers were 3-1 up, Phillips was introduced as a substitute, immediately conceding a penalty. After the game, the midfielder was confronted by supporters. Phillips reacted as things became sour, effectively ending his West Ham nightmare.
West Ham’s current midfield
A lot has changed in the two years since Kalvin Phillips loan spell. David Moyes has since departed the club with Julien Lopetegui and Graham Potter passing through the door, before Nuno Espirito Santo took over last year.
West Ham’s midfield has evolved too, with Nuno now looking to have a set rotation in the role Phillips once ruled for England.
Mateus Fernandes, signed from Southampton, has been one of the key players under the Hammers boss. The Portuguese is running the show from deep in midfielder, connecting the defence with those in attack.
Freddie Potts has provided some homegrown grit and determination, whilst Soungoutou Magassa is beginning to look at home playing in front of his countryman, Axel Disasi.
