Bournemouth have opened talks to sign Liverpool defender on loan, Football Insider understands.
The Merseyside giants were expected to sell the 25-year-old this summer after he spent the second half of last season on loan at Bournemouth.
But, a Liverpool source has told Football Insider there has been a change of heart from the club management including Jurgen Klopp and they are now planning to send Phillips out for the season in exchange for a loan fee.
Bournemouth are keen to bring the centre-half back to the Vitality Stadium after he helped them win promotion to the Premier League.
Phillips made 18 appearances in total for the Cherries during his loan spell. He forged a solid partnership alongside captain Lloyd Kelly.
Bournemouth manager Scott Parker wants the duo, who kept eight clean sheets together last season, to be his first-choice centre-back pairing next season. Phillips joined Liverpool from Bolton Wanderers on a free transfer in August 2016.
The Englishman spent the majority of the 2019-20 campaign on loan at Stuttgart. He made 22 appearances for the Bundesliga side.
An injury crisis at Anfield in the 2020-21 campaign resulted in Phillips getting regular game time for Liverpool. The centre-half was a key player for Jurgen Klopp’s side in the second half of the season and helped them secure Champions League qualification.
His contract on Merseyside runs until the end of June 2025.