---
title: "James Pearce hails importance of Liverpool’s £4.5m defenders failed transfer this season"
canonical: "https://readliverpoolfc.com/news/james-pearce-nat-phillips-transfer/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Liam Sterling"
section: "Liverpool News"
published: "2021-05-20T19:00:00Z"
modified: "2021-05-20T19:00:00Z"
---

# James Pearce hails importance of Liverpool’s £4.5m defenders failed transfer this season

This season has been a tough ride for Liverpool given their [form](https://www.skysports.com/liverpool-results) and [injuries](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/fc-liverpool/sperrenundverletzungen/verein/31) throughout the campaign.

Despite the mountains that have had to be climbed, Liverpool still find themselves in a race for [top four](https://www.premierleague.com/tables).

The Reds are sat in [fourth spot](https://www.premierleague.com/tables) as it currently stands and a win this weekend would secure that.

Last night was a huge step in the clubs progress for Champions League football.

Liverpool cruised out [3-0 victors](https://www.skysports.com/football/burnley-vs-liverpool/429198) over Burnley thanks to a [Man of the Match performance](https://www.skysports.com/football/burnley-vs-liverpool/429198) from defender Nat Phillips.

The 24-year-old has played a huge role in Liverpool’s season so far, and yesterday came up trumps with a goal and a clean sheet.

Following the game, [The Athletic’s](https://theathletic.co.uk/) [James Pearce](https://twitter.com/JamesPearceLFC) made a great point over a key failure from the summer.

The journalist stated that Nat Phillips’ failed transfer to Swansea in the autumn was one of the club’s most important moments this season…

> One of the most important moments of the season for Liverpool turned out to be Nat Phillips' move to Swansea City falling through in the autumn. He's been absolutely immense and that performance tonight was his best of the lot. Has proved he belongs in the Premier League. [#LFC](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LFC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
>
> — James Pearce (@JamesPearceLFC) [May 19, 2021](https://twitter.com/JamesPearceLFC/status/1395124602809028609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

It is incredible to think that, given his impact this season, Liverpool may have been without Phillips.

He has been so important for the Reds and has grown massively over this campaign.

His previous [loan](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/nathaniel-phillips/transfers/spieler/371814/transfer_id/2594791) at VfB Stuttgart during the 2019/20 season has set him up incredibly well.

Not only that, but he seems to be improving more each week and clearly responds well to instruction.

Playing alongside the likes of Fabinho and Ozan Kabak at times this season has also likely helped.

As Pearce states, there is no doubt that Phillips will be a part of Klopp’s plans for next season.

Phillips has grown to become Premier League standard and he looks like he is here to stay.