Sheffield United made headlines on the winter transfer deadline day when Chris Wilder brought Kalvin Phillips back to the Championship on loan from Manchester City for the balance of the 2025/26 season.

Phillips, who was twice loaned out by Manchester City to West Ham and Ipswich Town, had not played in the Championship since helping boyhood club Leeds United win the second-tier title under Marcelo Bielsa in the 2019/20 season, with his arrival at Bramall Lane dubbed a potential coup for the Blades.

Indeed, when Pep Guardiola signed Phillips from Elland Road in the summer of 2022, he demanded a £45 million fee, and the midfielder went on to star for the Whites in the Premier League and for England at the international level.

The 31-cap England international has not played for the Three Lions in more than two years, but he has welcomed the opportunity to play regular games with Wilder’s side after being continually overlooked under Guardiola.

Phillips made only three games for the Blades before suffering an injury and being dismissed in United’s 2-1 Steel City derby triumph over rivals Sheffield Wednesday in February, and the loan player has since undergone a minor knee surgery to address the issue.

He’s poised to return to action shortly, and in recent days, there has been talk of a permanent move to the Championship outfit once the summer arrives. Phillips is allegedly open to making his stay at the Lane permanent, and Wilder’s position has now emerged, along with a potential transfer stumbling block noted by the Blades manager.

Chris Wilder discussed the Kalvin Phillips, Sheffield United transfer issue.

According to the aforementioned source, Sheffield United will look into the terms of a permanent switch as Phillips enters the final year of his contract at the Etihad Stadium.

Now, for the first time, Wilder has discussed the possibility, and while he is very much intent on completing the deal, the 58-year-old did highlight an issue that the Blades may face in such pursuits when asked about Phillips’ potential re-signing ahead of his side’s match against Hull City tomorrow afternoon.

Wilder believes United will face heavy competition, claiming that the 30-year-old will be in high demand in the coming months.

When asked about the Blades’ interest in bringing Phillips back to the club, Wilder told The Star, “Definitely.” He’ll still have a lot of people following him. From our perspective, Steve Bettis’ partnership with Manchester City was a fantastic decision.

“It’s (Phillips’ income) nowhere near what people think it is, so run away in your wildest fantasies. “This is due to their lack of knowledge about the situation.

“We got in a very competent pro. Obviously, he had bad luck with his injury. And he was, because he passed his medical.

And he had a medical before making any of this noise. “It was a challenging medical procedure, as they all are.”He hasn’t played as much as he would want, but he has been around the place. I spoke with him and told him something as simple as this: ‘If we are an option, we’d love to be an alternative. And one who is there for you. Your agent and the parent club.’

“He certainly meets the criteria for personality and qualities. The character we’re looking for on the pitch. As well as off it. So there is no pressure.”

Sheffield United are well positioned to land new Kalvin Phillips, Man City move.

It’s no surprise that Wilder has cautioned Sheffield United that they may face competition in their quest to sign Phillips on a permanent basis, as his pedigree and anticipated availability will appeal to a slew of competing second-tier rivals.

United, on the other hand, have provided Phillips with a platform to return to consistent club football, which has remained in place despite his injury-enforced absence in recent weeks, and Wilder’s praise for the way the Man City exile has integrated himself into the day-to-day culture and goings-on at the Lane speaks volumes about how he may feel about signing for a second time.

It’s definitely an option that appeals to Phillips, whose own view on the subject is well-known and evident, and the geographical aspect of returning to familiar surroundings in Yorkshire will also be considered.

So, while Wilder is hardly speaking out of turn to highlight the threat of competition elsewhere, you would expect the Blades to rank high in Phillips’ mind as he begins to weigh the options available, and it would not be surprising to see him return in red-and-white this summer.