Derby County: January agreement with Liverpool could be best for all parties | OneFootball

The defender has had a difficult season since making the move to the Rams on loan in the summer.

Derby County now sit 15th in the Championship table, after a run of one win in just nine matches that has seen the Rams drop away from those challenging for a play-off position.

While all expectations at Pride Park this season were about survival, after a positive start to the campaign, there have been some frustrations over results recently, and Paul Warne's team have slipped towards the relegation zone.

Defensively, the East Midlands side have not been poor, and in fact it has been their failure to score consistently that has denied them victories in the last couple of months. For one member of the current squad, this has meant that game-time has been difficult to come by, and January may offer him a new opportunity.

Nat Phillips has played just 11 times in the Championship this season, starting only four times, and he has struggled to maintain a place in the team at any point since joining Derby on loan from Liverpool in the summer.

Nat Phillips' loan could be terminated in January amid lack of game-times

After starring for the Premier League giants in the 2020/21 season following an injury crisis at Anfield, Phillips has been loaned to AFC Bournemouth, Cardiff City, Celtic and now the Rams in an attempt to get him consistent minutes.

However, he has only truly locked down a place in the Bluebirds' and the Cherries' starting XIs, and his time in the East Midlands is more similar to that of when he was in Scotland.

He is also likely to be on a high wage (Phillips is estimated to be earning £65,000 and Derby are likely to be paying a chunk of this), and allocating those funds elsewhere could be a smart way for Warne to allow himself more freedom in the upcoming January transfer window.

Therefore, it would not be a surprise to see the defender return to Anfield in January in an attempt to get him playing more often at another club as his contract with Liverpool enters its final few months.

At 27, it is clear that his future lies away from Merseyside, and he is fighting for a permanent move in the future - most likely in the summer. Without playing regularly, he will not be able to show his talents to other managers, and this will be a worry for him.

Derby County will need new centre-back cover if Nat Phillips leaves

Although Phillips may want to return to his parent club to find more minutes elsewhere, it would not be the wisest move from Derby to allow it to happen without finding ample cover first.

Curtis Nelson and Eiran Cashin have locked down their places as Warne's starting centre-back partnership, with his Liverpool loanee coming into the side when he has played a back three.

Sonny Bradley is the Rams' other centre-back, but he has been used sparingly this season, and has featured mostly before Phillips made the move to Pride Park.

Warne has other areas of the pitch that he must focus on first before bringing in another defender, and it would be an annoyance for him if he had to spend time searching for a replacement.

Nevertheless, Liverpool and Arne Slot will have the final say on Phillips' future, and he may push for a return to allow him to impress elsewhere if his days at Derby are set to continue in this pattern.