Tottenham Hotspur have completed the departure of another defender this summer, with young centre-back Phillips joining Championship side Middlesbrough in a deal that could rise to £20 million.
Middlesbrough will pay an initial fee of £7m, with a further £13m available through performance-related add-ons. As part of the agreement, Spurs have negotiated a 20 per cent sell-on clause as well as matching rights should the club look to sell him again in the future. Blackburn Rovers, the club Phillips left to join Tottenham for £2.5m back in 2023, will also benefit from the move, receiving 15 per cent of any profit generated from the transfer.
The 21-year-old defender built his reputation during a productive spell at Blackburn, where he made more than 100 Championship appearances before adding further experience through loan stints at Plymouth Argyle and Stoke City. An England youth international, Phillips is now expected to play a central role for Middlesbrough as the Teesside club push for a return to the Premier League this season under manager Kim Hellberg.
This marks the second time this summer that Middlesbrough have turned to Tottenham's ranks to strengthen their squad. The Championship club also secured striker Will Lankshear earlier in the window, in a deal that carries a similar potential value of up to £20m depending on add-ons being triggered.
Phillips' exit follows that of centre-back Cristian Romero, continuing a summer of significant turnover in Tottenham's defensive department. His move to Middlesbrough represents Spurs' seventh permanent sale of the transfer window so far, underlining a broader restructuring effort at the north London club.
Among the other departures, defender Radu Dragusin has left Tottenham on loan for Fiorentina, with the Italian side carrying an obligation to sign him permanently for £21.4m once he reaches a specified number of appearances. Tottenham are also believed to be closing in on finalising the permanent exit of versatile defender Djed Spence, who is expected to complete a move to Inter Milan in the coming days.
Despite the flurry of outgoing transfers, Tottenham's business this summer has been defined largely by heavy investment, having already spent an estimated £237m on incoming players. Even so, the club remain active in the market as the transfer deadline approaches, with manager Roberto De Zerbi keen to add further reinforcements before the window shuts on September 1.
De Zerbi has made clear his ambition to bring in two or three more new faces before the deadline, and reports suggest a Manchester City winger is high on Tottenham's list of potential targets as the club looks to bolster its attacking options heading into the new season.
With Phillips' move to Middlesbrough now finalised, attention turns to whether Tottenham can complete their remaining incoming and outgoing business in time, as the north London club continues its wide-ranging squad overhaul under De Zerbi's leadership. The scale of turnover this summer — spanning defensive exits, loan deals, and marquee signings — reflects a club in the midst of significant transition as it seeks to reshape its roster for the campaign ahead.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport.