Barcelona are reportedly yet to step up their interest in Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips.
The England international is known to be available for transfer under the right conditions, whether that be on a permanent or loan deal.
However, given the tight finances during the January window, the latter of those is the most realistic, even with City ready to demand a substantial fee.
Reports have indicated that the Premier League giants will look for in the region of £7m and an obligation to buy if they are to part ways on a temporary basis.
As it stands, such terms are understood to have put off a number of admirers, including the likes of Newcastle United and Juventus who must ensure that they remain within FFP criteria.
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Nevertheless, the likes of West Ham United are said to be contemplating pushing through a deal, while Barcelona have been lurking in the background.
That is despite the well-documented financial issues at the Catalan giants, with club officials having already indicated that additions are unlikely at the midway point of the campaign.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, that is the reason why Barcelona have currently not made direct contact with City over a potential deal for Phillips.
Barcelona allegedly view the current terms as 'too expensive', with the obligation to buy realistically not a possibility for the La Liga side at this point.
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Romano adds that West Ham are currently waiting on an answer from Phillips who is having to consider both his short and long-term future.
Although the 28-year-old is desperate for first-team football ahead of Euro 2024, City's desire for a obligation to buy complicates matters for both the player and interested clubs.
Since the start of November, Phillips has made just four appearances for City, one of those being a start in a Champions League dead-rubber against Red Star Belgrade.
Phillips still has four-and-a-half years remaining on his contract at the Etihad Stadium, leaving City in a strong position regarding his future as they bid to recoup the £45m that they committed to paying in 2022.
Darren Plant
