If Fabinho leaves this summer, Liverpool are expected to make a move for Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips, and a former Reds favourite would support such a transfer.

If Liverpool loses Fabinho in the coming weeks, Steve McManaman has advised Jurgen Klopp to try to entice Kalvin Phillips away from Manchester City.

Fabinho, 29, is the latest Premier League star to be courted by a Saudi Arabian club, with Al-Ittihad prepared to offer the Brazilian midfielder a rich cash package in exchange for his services in the Middle East.

Reds captain Jordan Henderson is also expected to join the Saudi Pro League after being left out of the Liverpool squad for Wednesday’s pre-season friendly against Karlsruher due to transfer talks with Al-Ettifaq, which means Klopp could be desperate for midfielders at the start of the 2023/24 season.

If Fabinho does leave before the Reds’ season opener against Chelsea, McManaman believes Phillips, who has battled for first-team play since joining the champions last summer, would be a suitable substitute.

“If Liverpool lose Fabinho, I believe Kalvin’s name would come into the mix,” the former Liverpool winger told Betfred. He’s English, an England international, he plays in that capacity, and I don’t think Manchester City would expect a club to pay a lot of money for him.

“There may be a deal to be pursued, and if Jurgen Klopp loses a defensive midfielder this summer, then a move for Kalvin could certainly be an option, but it all depends on whether Manchester City would be willing to let him go to a Premier League rival.”

While it remains to be seen whether Pep Guardiola and the City administration are willing to trade Phillips to a team that has previously challenged them for the title, the champions have signed Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea.

And McManaman believes that making a move for Phillips is still worthwhile if Manchester City is willing to sell the England ace in order to repay the £45 million amount they paid for him last summer.

“Manchester City have brought in Mateo Kovacic after losing Ilkay Gundogan, so they still have a similar nucleus of players that were there last season,” he added. “A move for Kalvin could easily happen as he fits the profile of what Liverpool would need if Fabinho leaves.”

“He likes to work hard, he wants to prove a point, but it all depends on whether Pep Guardiola would be willing to let him join a rival and whether Kalvin would want to leave Manchester City after they’ve just won the treble.”