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First Team

Profile: Nathaniel Phillips

Highly regarded defender Nat Phillips is the second player to arrive on a busy deadline day for AFC Bournemouth.

The central defender, who is the son of former Bolton Wanderers star Jimmy Phillips, began his youth career with the Trotters.

He joined the Liverpool academy ahead of the 2016/17 season following a successful trial.

He missed a large chunk of the 2017/18 season with a back injury but established himself as a key member of the under-23s team, wearing the captain’s armband.

He became a member of Jurgen Klopp’s first-team squad for the 2018/19 season and was a member of the travelling party for the 2019 UEFA Champions League final.

The defender moved to German second-division side VfB Stuttgart for the 2019/20 season, making 22 appearances over the course of the campaign.

Midway through his time in Germany, he was briefly recalled by Liverpool due to defensive injuries and made his debut as the Reds beat Everton in the FA Cup.

He became a regular fixture in Klopp’s team as Liverpool suffered a serious defensive injury crisis, making 20 appearances in the Premier League and Champions League.

Phillips became a popular member of the squad due to his body on the line attitude and consistent performances and was named man of the match in a 2-0 win over RB Leipzig to earn a spot in the Champions League quarter-finals.

He scored his first goal for the club in a 3-0 win over Burnley in May 2021 and received acclaim for his performances by Klopp, the manager claiming that Phillip’s had developed more than any other player in his management career.
 
Phillips has found game time more limited in the 2021/22 season but impressed in a 2-1 win over AC Milan at the San Siro in the Champions League.

He arrived at Vitality Stadium on deadline day in January 2022 on a loan deal until the end of the season.