Despite Manchester United's interest in midfielder Kalvin Phillips, Leeds United are hopeful of retaining his services for another season.

The Manchester Evening News reported two weeks ago that United are working on a deal to sign Phillips, a 26-year-old defensive midfielder who has been identified as a priority for the club.

Following a season in which he lost three and a half months due to a hamstring injury, Leeds feel interested clubs will be reluctant to reach Phillips's valuation of roughly £60 million, according to club sources. Phillips is also being pursued by West Ham and Aston Villa, who were both impressed by his performance against Crystal Palace on Monday night, when he made his first start since December 5.

Phillips is expected to be in Leeds' squad for next season, but the club is prepared to accept the possibility that the England international will depart.

Having played well at the European Championships last summer, Phillips is preparing to change agents in the hopes of securing a new contract. Phillips played in every one of England's seven games on their way to the World Cup final.

Phillips has a contract with Leeds until 2024, and negotiations over a renewal have been increasingly drawn out. United have signed several Leeds players in high-profile deals in spite of the fact that Phillips was born and raised in the city.

When United persuaded Joe Jordan and Gordon McQueen to cross the border in 1978, Eric Cantona signed for them just a few months after helping Leeds win the English Premier League in 1992. Rio Ferdinand became the club's all-time leading scorer in 2002, and Yorkshire-born Alan Smith, who had previously stated that he would never play for the club, joined them in 2004. In 1983, United signed winger Arthur Graham, who had previously played for Leeds.
During the previous two summers, Leeds and United were also in discussions regarding Daniel James, who eventually signed for Leeds on deadline day in August for a fee that may rise to £30 million.

Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham are two of Phillips's England teammates. West Ham value Rice at a whopping £150million, and Dortmund want to keep Bellingham for another year. Because of United's inability to qualify for the Champions League, any potential transfer for either player is practically ruled out.

Rice, who is 23 years old, showed an interest in joining United last year, but he is contracted to West Ham United until 2024. Despite having visited Manchester United's Carrington training center when he was 16, Bellingham, 18, has chosen to join Borussia Dortmund in 2020.