The rumors are true: Big Nat Phillips is off, having completed a permanent transfer to West Bromwich Albion.
The central defender filled in admirably in Liverpool’s horror season with defensive injuries, playing a large part in the team’s European qualification despite the struggles from January on in 2020/21.
Nathaniel Phillips has been a Red for almost a decade, having arrived in the Academy back in 2016. Phillips is one of the relatively rare arrivals who joined via trial rather than transfer in his late teens.
The defender made 29 senior appearances for Liverpool, his most notable perhaps being the one-off win against Everton in January 2020: Phillips found himself briefly recalled from his loan spell at VfB Stuttgart to play in an FA Cup tie against Everton at Anfield; after the Reds won, he promptly returned to Germany to finish his loan.
Of course, most of his appearances came in the aforementioned injury-hit season of 2020/21. Phillips was one of many who stepped up during a challenging time, and thus his contributions were key to a very strong push the following season.
While much of his time with Liverpool has been spent on loan, his impact will certainly be felt on Merseyside — and he will certainly remain a cult hero. Certainly let us never forget his Cruyff turn in the San Siro.
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