Peter O'Rourke says

I expect he’ll only move on this month if those clubs are willing to overpay. I’ve thought for a while he’ll go this summer though, especially if we don’t go up. He’ll want to play at a higher level as he enters his prime, his value should be very high and after three years it’s probably fair that the club allow him to go and play championship football if a good fee can be agreed and we can’t offer it to him. Getting him on that extension was a good move after Wembley, if we want other up and coming players to sign extensions we probably have to show now and again that we will allow a player to move on if the fee and timing is right.

 

I think he was probably sold on Brentford by what they were doing. Their owner ploughed summat like £120m into getting them into the prem, and probably offered Pinnock the best money.

Similar story with Watkins they bought from Exeter. They were prepared to pay more than other clubs of their size, and give him a good wage to keep him happy. Sold him at a huge profit.

I find them obscene mate. I know people say they have a certain plan, but when it all boils down, the money that’s been introduced to such a small third division club is why their plan has worked, rather than the plan itself.

 

Yes, I still struggle with seeing Brentford and Bournemouth in the Premier League. Both clubs that were traditionally well below us in the pyramid (certainly in my time anyway). How foreign money has changed the game…..

 

If you look at it from a perspective other than as a fan, He's 27 in a few days so right in his prime. By the time his contract is up he'll be 29. His next contract will be his last big and long one and I would expect he'll command more money, and certainly have more interest now compared to in a couple of years time because he might still have some sell o value to the buying club. I'd expect his agent to be pushing for move, if not in Jan then certainly in the summer.

From the club's perspective, the same economics apply. He'll have a much higher value now than at any other point and I don't see it increasing much other than if he fired us to promotion by ripping up the play-offs. So it might come down to a time where it'll be mutually beneficial, a bit like with Kitching the summer before last. If the club can negotiate a good fee then I think he'll be off, but I think they'll hold off to the summer in case we can manage to get promotion.

If we are going to sell I'd also prefer to have his replacement already at the club but other than Yoganathan who's not really playing, I don't really see it.

 

Wigan fans used to claim that it was just ‘punching above their weight’, and tbf, rarely has anyone of any public standing ever questioned them, same as Wrexham at the moment. If you’re a fan of those clubs and the guys on MOTD & Sky are blowing smoke up your arse, then you’re not going to question your clubs rise up the leagues. It’s only when it goes belly up, that they see it for what is was.

 

The only link I can find for this rumour is a site called something like EFL News. It has pages for each regional team and touts players which their local teams might sign. There was one which said, "players which Swansea City should sign in January' and Phillips was listed in the names. The was an identical one for Preston. I think that this is just sports webpages drumming up business - well, it worked, because I looked at it. I would think that there is nothing in the rumour coming from that source and that O'Rourke has just been looking at the same webpages. Given Phillips' contract situation, I would quote £5 million and tell them to get lost. Can't see it happening unless their is a rumour from a more reliable source, rather than speculation.