Newcastle United receive major transfer boost as European giants 'pull out' of £45m Kalvin Phillips race

Newcastle United have received a major boost in their pursuit of Kalvin Phillips with reports suggesting Juventus have pulled out of the race for the Manchester City midfielder.

Eddie Howe's side are known to be interested in Phillips as they look to bolster their squad in the January transfer market. Defensive midfield is a particular area of concern at St James' Park, with Sandro Tonali currently serving a 10-month ban after breaching the Italian Football Federation's betting rules.

Phillips has long looked set to leave City after spending much of his time there either in the treatment room or on the substitutes bench. The 28-year-old has played just 312 minutes of football this season and has just two starts to his name.

Juventus have been heavily linked with a move for the midfielder all season but now The Sun reports that they are out of the running. The Italian side wanted to take Phillips on loan for the second-half of this campaign but cannot afford to take him off City's hands.

Juve director Cristiano Giuntoli recently admitted: “We don’t see any opportunity from a technical or financial point of view. We look for correct opportunities and can’t see any now.”

Their omission from the race leaves Newcastle with an opportunity to become front-runners, but Howe's side are reluctant to fork out a significant loan fee to have Phillips for just six months. City are said to want £5million plus an obligation for the move to be made permanent in the summer for £40m.

Pep Guardiola's side are keen to break even on the player they signed from Leeds United for around £43m a year-and-a-half ago. Despite limited minutes at club level during that period, they see his continued quality for England as evidence he has only improved as a player since arriving at the Etihad.

Newcastle are no longer the only Premier League side keen on a move for Phillips, however, with the report adding that both Crystal Palace and Fulham are 'huge admirers'. The latter could be set to lose defensive midfielder Joao Palhinha this month which could give them the funds to appease City's demands.