Former defender Richard Dunne has told Steven Gerrard to beat Manchester United to the signing of Leeds midfielder so he can fire the club back into Europe.
Phillips, 26, has been linked with a £60million move to Villa Park in the summer with manager Gerrard looking to reshape a squad which has struggled for consistency in the Premier League this season.
United are also said to be interested in Phillips, with having priced the Red Devils out of a move for .
However, Dunne believes Phillips would be a success at Villa and says the club should make a triple swoop on Leeds, bringing Raphinha and Rodrigo in along with the Englishman.
Speaking to ahead of the Irish , he said: ‘You look at Raphinha and Rodrigo, they’d be good to bring in. There’s obviously talk of going there and that’d be a great signing.
‘You’re looking for a star player in each position. It seems like they have a lot of money to spend, but it’ll be interesting to see who he targets.’
Since being promoted two years ago and then breaking into Gareth Southgate’s England squad, Phillips has become one of the most improved midfielders in the Premier League.
While he was key in Leeds’ survival last season, his performances alongside Rice for the Three Lions at last summer’s European Championships attracted attention from a number of elite clubs.
Leeds fought to hang on to their star man and it remains to be seen whether Villa have the financial muscle to prise Phillips away from Elland Road this summer, with the club having spent heavily on the likes of Lucas Digne and Emi Buendia in recent windows.
Dunne thinks Gerrard is the right man to bring European football to Villa Park but points out that the club’s hierarchy need to back the former Liverpool man in the market.
He added: ‘He can definitely get them into Europe in the future. This season was just about getting in there and understanding the team, the squad and finding out where they are and where they need strengthening.
‘He came in and immediately secured their place in the Premier League and he did that brilliantly.
‘They’re an exciting team to watch but they have weaknesses and need to spend money.
‘If he is backed, I think they will be challenging for Europe in the coming years. They need maybe six or seven new players if they are to really improve.’
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