Club open talks with Liverpool for 'monster' with 'crazy story' - Supporters will wish him well if he leaves - opinion

Newcastle United have opened talks with Liverpool to sign Nathaniel Phillips as they look to bolster their squad further to stay in the Premier League after their takeover earlier this season.

In October, the Magpies were bought by a Saudi Arabian consortium and while the club now has much bigger ambitions, they're worryingly close to the relegation zone although a 1-0 win over Leeds United has boosted their hopes of avoiding the drop.

As they spend big in the transfer market, Liverpool could cash in on Nat Phillips with the Daily Mail reporting that Newcastle have opened talks with the Reds over the English defender.

Liverpool want between £10milliion and £15million to sell Phillips this month.

Newcastle wanted to agree on a loan deal with an obligation to buy clause if they stay up but the Reds have already rejected an offer like that from Watford although that included just a £7m fee.

Fans are very fond of Phillips but he's never going to be a regular starter for the Reds while he could become a cult hero on Tyneside as he is on Merseyside for the way he helped the Anfield outfit achieve Champions League qualification.

His greatest strength is not his aerial ability although he is one of the best in the Premier League at winning 50/50 aerial duels but rather it's his bravery.

For the Newcastle fans reading this, if Phillips moves to St. James Park, you're not getting a player that's going to start 30-pass moves from the back or score 30-yard screamers but what you are getting is a player that will earn every penny of his contract on the pitch.

He'll put his body on the line every week to win games for Newcastle United and I'm pretty confident that signing him guarantees Premier League safety.

He's not the prettiest player around (that's not a dig) but he's passionate and desperate to impress every time he takes to the pitch.

Oh, and he also Cruyff turned Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Franck Kessie in his own 18-yard box at the San Siro in the Champions League.

So yeah, he's boss.

After his spell with the Wanderers, Phillips was nicknamed by fans as the 'Bolton Baresi' as the Reds shocked the world last season by winning 8 out of 10 Premier League games to secure Champions League qualification and somehow a top-three finish.

Alisson Becker's header against West Brom helped but Phillips won himself many fans last season.

One being Jurgen Klopp. After a win over West Ham, the German said: “He’s a brilliant guy, smart guy, intelligent, everything.

“He’s not easy on the eye, he’s not Messi but who cares? In the air, he’s a monster! He was incredible. For the first game, I think everyone can imagine how nervy that must be after a long wait.

“It’s a crazy story, three years ago he was on his way to America to go to college.

“Twelve “Championship teams wanted him and to me it was clear he was going, and I was fine with that – and it didn’t work out for whatever reason, and it’s great!

“Tonight he was spot on, helped the team incredibly.”