Kalvin Phillips is set to return to Sheffield United as Manchester City will send him out on loan for a fourth time.
The England international midfielder, who still has two years left on his contract at the Etihad Stadium, has not featured in the Premier League for City since 2023.
The 30-year-old joined Sheffield United for the second half of last season but only made three appearances before a red card in a Steel City derby and then a knee injury meant he did not feature again.
But United manager Chris Wilder has moved to bring in Phillips for a second time to give him options in midfield while he faces losing Gustavo Hamer to Coventry City.
Phillips cost City £42.5m when he joined for Leeds in 2022 but has only started two league games for them and has gone on loan to West Ham. Ipswich and United.
Phillips played seven minutes for City last season, in a Carabao Cup win over Huddersfield, and has only started six games for them in all competitions as Pep Guardiola opted to pick others instead.
While City have a new manager, in Enzo Maresca, and there are doubts about the future of his fellow defensive midfielder Rodri, a target for Barcelona, that has not brought a return to contention for Phillips, who won 31 caps for England.