Nat Phillips’ hopes of a move to Galatasaray on deadline day were dealt a major setback with Liverpool likely to retain the centre-back following Ibrahima Konate’s hamstring injury.
Konate picked up a hamstring issue during his side’s 2-1 defeat to Brighton in Sunday’s FA Cup fourth-round contest and early reports have suggested that the Frenchman could be sidelined for at least a fortnight.
According to a report from The Liverpool Echo, it is claimed that Konate’s injury, which adds to the woes of Jurgen Klopp who is already without his defensive mainstay Virgil van Dijk, could lead to Nat Phillips staying put at Anfield until the summer.
The English defender was open to the idea of moving to Istanbul when Galatasaray came calling in a late move for his signature with Liverpool willing to sanction his exit for a £10 million fee.
Galatasaray, meanwhile, appear to have signed an alternate centre-back to bolster their backline with the Turkish giants confirming the arrival of Kaan Ayhan from Serie A side Sassuolo in a short-term loan deal.
