LIVERPOOL reportedly want £15 million in order to part ways with defender Nat Phillips.

Phillips made 18 appearances after joining Cherries on deadline day in January, with the centre-half quickly establishing a strong partnership with Lloyd Kelly at the back.

Cherries reportedly paid a loan fee of £1.5 million to bring the former Bolton youngster on loan, with further reports suggesting an extra £250,000 bonus after clinching promotion.

According to the Liverpool Echo, the Reds are expecting interest in the 25-year-old to increase when the transfer window opens in early June.

After a loan stint with Stuttgart in Germany back during the 2019/20 season, there are potential suitors both domestically and abroad, such as Dutch giants PSV, who were previously keen to bring Phillips to the Netherlands.

In an interview with the Daily Echo, Phillips remained coy on his future, admitting that he “can’t rule out” a return to Dorset next campaign.

Whilst Cherries have options to make other deals such as Todd Cantwell’s and Leif Davis’ loans permanent, there is no such clause with Phillips.

Liverpool and Cherries have hashed out multiple transfers over the years, with star striker Dominic Solanke arriving at the Vitality Stadium from Anfield in January 2019.

In that same window Nathaniel Clyne was lent to Cherries from the Merseyside outfit, whilst Jordan Ibe and Brad Smith have previously made the journey south from Liverpool.

Phillips came to prominence at Anfield during the latter half of the 2020/21 campaign. With injuries to star centre backs Virgil Van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez, Phillips was thrown in at the deep end, making 17 Premier League appearances as the Reds clawed back a Champions League spot.

With Phillips still yet to play 100 games of senior football, Cherries are also reportedly exploring the option of a further loan deal, with a view of borrowing the defender the entirety of the 2022/23 campaign.

Liverpool have a strong hand in terms of negotiations, with Phillips signing a four-year deal near the start of last season.

The deal expires at the end of the 2024/25 season, indicating that the Reds see a long-term future at the club for the Bolton-born defender.