Nat Phillips, a defender for Liverpool who Jurgen Klopp has previously praised, has signed a season-long loan agreement with Scottish champions Celtic.

Nat Phillips, a defender for Liverpool, is moving to Scottish champions Celtic on a season-long loan that will be reviewed in the January transfer window.

The majority of the central defender’s 29 first-team appearances for the Reds came during the 2020–21 season, when Jurgen Klopp’s team was hampered by a defensive injury crisis.

 

The club’s youth academy graduate Phillips made an impression in his cameo appearance that game.

Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez, and Joel Matip are all preferred candidates for the Reds’ starting center back position, so the 26-year-old has found his playing time at Anfield to be limited despite being a favorite of manager Klopp.

Phillips has already spent time on loan away from Anfield, spending time with the German club Stuttgart in the 2019–20 season while also appearing in 18 games for Bournemouth the previous season.

He only made an appearance for Liverpool five times last season across all leagues, though. According to a Sky Sports report, a deal to transfer him to Celtic on a temporary contract for the season is already in place.

In January, the clubs and player will have the chance to reevaluate his situation.

Before club captain Jordan Henderson left for Al Ettifaq and Fabinho was also sold to Saudi Arabia, joining Al Ittihad, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Roberto Firmino, and James Milner all left this summer as free agents.

Although Phillips has struggled to establish a consistent starting position at Anfield, Reds manager Klopp has praised both him and fellow center-back Rhys Williams as “incredible” back in 2021.

“These two boys playing together in that manner is incredible, truly incredible. They have gained so much knowledge thanks to that thorough crash course in Premier League education, according to Klopp.

All of our Liverpool Academy students should take heart from this. It demonstrates that it is possible that it is possible. Just exert yourself. These boys had to work extremely hard because it is clear that they lack extreme skill.

Their status as Premier League players has since improved. And it can definitely function in that way. I’m overjoyed for them. “. Nat is the son of former footballer Jimmy Phillips, who played for Bolton for two different periods and made over 350 first-team appearances. .