Liverpool star Nat Phillips closing in on next transfer as Celtic loan ripped up after just eight games

LIVERPOOL defender Nathaniel Phillips is set to join Cardiff on loan until the end of the season, according to reports.

The centre-back, 26, spent the first half of the campaign with Celtic but featured just eight times for Brendan Rodgers‘ side.

Nathaniel Phillips saw his Celtic loan terminated earlier this monthKenny Ramsay

Phillips made just six league appearances for Celtic before he was recalled from his loan

He was recalled by Liverpool earlier this month amid rumours of another loan spell away from Anfield.

Now The Times understand Cardiff have won the race for the Bolton-born star.

The Championship club have beaten fellow second-tier outfit Blackburn to Phillips’ signature.

Leeds was also mooted as a potential destination, but the defender is now poised to make the move to Wales until the summer.

Cardiff sit 14th in the Championship but are just six points adrift of the play-off places.

It comes after Liverpool sent Calvin Ramsay and Owen Beck out on loan to Bolton and Dundee earlier this week.

Phillips has played 29 times games for Jurgen Klopp‘s men, 20 of which came during the 2020/21 campaign when Virgil van Dijk was sidelined with an ACL injury.

But he has featured just eight times since the start of the 2021/22 season.

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He spent one year on loan at Bournemouth where he featured 18 times.

Five games back at Liverpool followed, before his unsuccessful stint with Celtic.

And Klopp is not in need of any more central defenders as he already has Van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Jarell Amorin Quansah available for selection.

Joe Gomez can also fill in at centre-half, while Joel Matip is recovering from an ACL injury and is not expected to return before the summer.