Kalvin Phillips hasn't given up on salvaging his Manchester City career, but he accepts time is running out to prove himself at the Etihad Stadium.
The 27-year-old joined City from Leeds United last summer in a deal worth more than £40m, but he has not been able to win over Pep Guardiola.
The Spaniard has openly questioned Phillips' fitness and that has seen him start just two Premier League games since he moved across the Pennines - those outings came after City had wrapped up the title for a third season in a row.
Sources have told 90min that Phillips and his representatives had hoped a full pre-season at City - something he didn't get under his belt last year - would make a big difference and help integrate him into Guardiola's plans, especially with the summer exit of captain Ilkay Gundogan.
But that has not been the case despite Rodri's recent suspension as Guardiola has instead turned to 18-year-old Rico Lewis and Bernardo Silva to play in the deep-lying midfield role.
90min understands that Phillips still believes he can force his way into Guardiola's thinking - he has communicated that message to his representatives - but accepts that he may have to leave the club if his situation does not change by January.
Indeed, speaking after starting England's 3-1 win over Italy in Euro 2024 qualifying, Phillips said: “I know that I need to be playing games and competing every weekend. I’m going to have to make a decision on my City future over the next months. Hopefully my chance comes, but if it doesn’t then I will have to make other decisions.
“As a football player you always want to be playing. I want to be playing as much as possible, but I haven’t done that for a year and a half. I always try to make sure I am ready for whatever comes. I want minutes, I want to go to the Euros. We will see what happens.”
Phillips' representatives have already fielded enquiries from Bayern Munich and Juventus over his availability, and the latter's need for a new midfielder has heightened after Paul Pogba's failed drugs test and Nicolo Fagioli's seven-month ban for breaching betting regulations.
Newcastle United have also revived their interest in Phillips, as they prepare to lose Sandro Tonali to a lengthy ban for betting on matches while at AC Milan, and 90min understands the Magpies would be particularly keen on securing a loan deal until the end of the season.
Whether or not City would sanction a move to a Premier League rival remains to be seen, but Guardiola has long adopted a policy of letting players who are not satisfied at the club go - Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Cole Palmer three to have departed for regular first-team football over the past 15 months.
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This article was originally published on 90min as Kalvin Phillips sets timeline on salvaging Man City career as Newcastle revive interest.