Liverpool defender Nathaniel Phillips has agreed to join Celtic on loan this summer, according to The Athletic.
The 26-year-old travelled to Glasgow on Wednesday for talks with former Reds boss Brendan Rodgers and is keen on moving to Scotland for regular playing time this season.
He will join the Scottish Premier League champions initially until the January window when the arrangement will be reassessed by all parties.
Rodgers has been eager to bolster Celtic’s defensive lineup, especially in light of injuries to Cameron Carter-Vickers and Maik Nawrocki. Phillips has emerged as the prime candidate to fulfill this role.
Middlesbrough and Stuttgart also made an approach for Phillips, but moving to Celtic had the added appeal of offering Champions League football.
Phillips finds himself lower down the pecking order at Liverpool, trailing prominent defenders such as Virgil Van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joel Matip, and Joe Gomez. In the previous season, he participated in seven matches, contributing one assist across various competitions.
The defender has yet to be included in Liverpool’s matchday squad this season, sparking speculation about a potential departure from Anfield.
While Phillips still has two years remaining on his contract with the club, the trajectory seems to point towards a potential exit.
Having progressed through Liverpool’s youth academy, Phillips made his transition to Jurgen Klopp’s senior squad in 2018. His journey also included a loan spell at Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart during the 2019/20 season, featuring in 22 matches and registering one assist across all competitions.
In addition to his time at Stuttgart, Phillips gained valuable experience through a loan spell at Premier League club Bournemouth.
Phillips came to the forefront of Liverpool’s squad during the 2020-21 season when the team was striving to secure a spot in the Champions League. Notably, he stepped up in response to injuries sustained by key defenders including Virgil Van Dijk, Joel Matip, and Joe Gomez.
As of now, the English defender has accumulated 29 appearances for Liverpool, contributing to two goals.
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