Former Leeds United star Pablo Hernandez has backed ex-team-mate Kalvin Phillips to thrive and get his career back on track at Ipswich Town.

Fan favourite Hernandez was a popular figure for Leeds as Phillips came through the youth ranks and burst onto the scene, playing a key role as they were promoted back to the Premier League in 2020, after 16 years away.

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His displays for the Whites saw him called up for England and start for his country in the EURO 2020 final, before making a £42m move to Manchester City in the summer of 2022.

Since then his career has stalled, with Phillips struggling to get game time at City and failing to impress in a loan spell at West Ham last season.

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Now on loan in Suffolk, the 28-year-old has largely done well with Town so far, starting their last four Premier League games alongside skipper Sam Morsy in the Town engine room. 

Pablo Hernandez celebrates scoring for Leeds with Kalvin Phillips back in 2019Pablo Hernandez celebrates scoring for Leeds with Kalvin Phillips back in 2019 (Image: PA Sport) And Hernandez believes Phillips will get back to his best.

“That year of promotion, Kalvin Phillips was a young player who had come out of the Leeds youth academy, a very important player for us and Manchester City paid €50m I think for him,” he said, in quotes reported by Leeds Live.

“He hasn’t had the luck there; he hasn’t had the opportunity to prove himself. We know the quality of players there and in his position too, because he has had Rodri, who has been a regular for Guardiola, and who I think is the best midfielder in the world.

“Kalvin has now had to look for minutes elsewhere, but he is a lad who physically is a plane, he is a bull, and he plays very good football.

"Hopefully now he can get his career back on track, prove his worth and come back to City.”