West Brom closing in on the signing of Liverpool's Nat Phillips

West Brom are reportedly closing in on the signing of Liverpool central defender Nat Phillips.

After loan moves at five different clubs since 2019, it seems as though Liverpool’s Nat Phillips could be set for a permanent move away from the club.

John Percy of The Telegraph took to ‘X’ to break the news of Phillips’ imminent move to Championship outfit West Brom.

West Brom are close to to signing Liverpool centre-back Nat Phillips in a permanent deal.

- John Percy, The Telegraph

Making the move from Bolton to Liverpool’s youth setup in 2016, it was the summer prior to the start of the 2018/19 term when Nat Phillips made the step up and started to train with Jurgen Klopp’s senior Liverpool side.

It wasn’t until the 2020/21 term, however, where an astonishing turn of events meant the central defender proved vital as Liverpool clinched qualification for the UEFA Champions League.

Injuries to the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip, Phillips played 17 times in the Premier League that term, as the Reds managed a third place finish despite registering 30 less points than the league winning season before.

As Liverpool’s first choice central defenders returned from respective injuries, Phillips was granted the opportunity to play regular football on loan, and this has remained the case ever since.

Phillips spent the most recent 2024/25 term on loan at Derby County, as the Rams avoided relegation to League One by a matter of points.

The central defender is set to make the first permanent move of his six-year senior career in the summer transfer window, with West Brom the reported destination.

Phillips is set to become the first signing of the Ryan Mason era, though John Percy reports that the newly hired boss is “working on other signings ahead of this week's return to pre-season.”

Ellis Statham

• West Bromwich Albion F.C.
• Championship
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