Nathaniel Phillips becomes the latest Liverpool player to leave the club and join Celtic on loan for the first half of the 2023-24 season, subject to international clearance.
Phillips travelled to Glasgow on Wednesday for talks with former Reds boss Brendan Rodgers and was determined to move to Scotland for regular playing time this season.
The 26-year-old will link up with the Scottish Premier League champions until January after finalising a switch to Celtic Park on Thursday afternoon.
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, who has two years left on his remaining contract has yet to be included in Liverpool’s matchday squad this season.
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.
Last season, Phillips made five appearances for Liverpool in all competitions, most recently in the FA Cup tie with Wolves at Molineux in January.
Read More Liverpool Coverage:
- Exclusive: Bayer Leverkusen Reveal Stance On Piero Hincapie Amid Liverpool Interest
- Report: Liverpool Forward Mohamed Salah Is Not for Sale Amid Al Ittihad Pursuit
- ‘Liverpool Got A Steal At £60 Million’ – Jesse Marsch on Dominik Szoboszlai
- Joel Matip Details How Liverpool Centre-backs Are Adapting To Trent’s Hybrid Role
- Danny Murphy Backs Liverpool To Sign Man City Midfielder Kalvin Phillips
- ‘Total Madness’ – Liverpool Links To Possible Mohamed Salah Replacement Shot Down