Liverpool star Nat Phillips has responded to speculation linking him with West Ham and says he’d welcome a move in January.
West Ham are said to be seriously eyeing up a move to sign Liverpool centre-back Phillips early on in the January transfer window according to a report from The Evening Standard.
Having lost Angelo Ogbonna for the season to an ACL injury and Kurt Zouma for between six to 12 weeks to a hamstring tendon blow, it is vital Moyes brings in another defender next month.
The addition of a quality centre-back will be just as important as bringing in a new centre-forward for David Moyes.
The Evening Standard claim the Hammers will swoop to try and sign the 24-year-old Reds ace who was hugely impressive up against Zlatan Ibrahimovic last week.
Tabloid talk from the likes of The Mirror claimed Liverpool would listen to offers of around £12 million for Phillips.
Liverpool star Nat Phillips responds to West Ham links and says he’d welcome a move in January
Now West Ham have received a major boost after Phillips responded to a question about the links to West Ham, admitting he wants to leave Liverpool and is open to a move in January (Sky Sports).
“I want to be playing games. It’s been tough because the competition to get in this team is fierce,” Phillips told Sky Sports when asked about speculation linking him with West Ham.
“The manager and I agree that the best thing for me is to play as many games as possible. I think you saw last year I developed well.
“I’m going to see what comes along (in January) and go from there. I think at this moment in time it’s unlikely that I’ll be playing lots of games for Liverpool, so if an opportunity arises where I get the chance to do that somewhere else and it suits everyone then it’s certainly something I’d be interested in.”
And what Phillips said will be music to Moyes’s ears because he is adamant he will be ready to play from the get go.
“I don’t need to go through that process (of settling in) if I do go somewhere else,” Phillips added.
“I’ll be ready straight away to get involved and play.”
With West Ham reportedly very keen and Phillips clearly up for the move, the Hammers hierarchy simply must get this deal lined up and ready to go the moment the January window opens.