Nat Phillips admits he is ready to leave the Liverpool camp in the forthcoming January transfer window in his search for regular first-team football elsewhere.
The central defender was a breakout star at Anfield in the second half of the 2020-21 campaign and his showings at the back were key to Liverpool ensuring a top-four finish in the league to qualify for the Champions League.
Phillips, however, has failed to secure regular minutes on the pitch this season with his fall down the pecking order in the Anfield fold following the returns of Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip from long-term layoffs.
There has been the speculation that West Ham United are looking at the Liverpool first-team outcast as a top target ahead of January’s window with The Hammers keen to bring in reinforcements at the back.
Speaking to Sky Sports News, the defender has admitted frustration at the lack of his game time at Anfield with Phillips set to take a call on his future come the turn of the year when the transfer window reopens.
“I want to be playing games. It’s been tough because the competition to get in this team is fierce.”
“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.”
“I’ve had the exposure and experience in the Premier League and the Champions League. So maybe those situations where you’re new and nervy, I’ve gone through that phase.”
“I don’t need to go through that process if I do go somewhere else. I’ll be ready straight away to get involved and play.”