Credit: Imago

Max Wilkins

Wed 22 April 2026 10:00, UK

West Bromwich Albion have seen both sides of Nat Phillips since signing him from Liverpool.

The Englishman sealed a move to The Hawthorns in the summer as the Baggies looked to have pulled off a shrewd piece of business.

He had spent last season on loan at Derby County and the previous year, as he racked up Championship experience away from Anfield.

The 29-year-old now finds himself with the Baggies and has only gone on to feature regularly, when fit, in the Black Country so far.

There were high expectations when Phillips signed for West Brom from Liverpool, as we now assess what we know about his deal in B71.

What is Nat Phillips’ contract situation at West Brom?

The defender hasn’t had a dream start to life in the West Midlands after sealing a permanent move in the summer.

He has started all 38 of his games, but there has been some frustration with some of his showings in navy and white stripes.

That hasn’t stopped him from racking up some impressive defensive numbers, even with Albion fighting at the bottom of the Championship.

There will be a feeling that he can still do better, and he is likely to get a chance to do exactly that after putting pen to paper on a three-year deal in the summer.

As part of that, he reportedly earns £40,000 per week and a yearly salary in the region of £2million at The Hawthorns.

That is hardly spare change for the Baggies, although some of Phillips’ positive performances recently for West Brom may help his case.

Has Phillips been worth his £3m fee at West Brom?

It isn’t always easy to assess a transfer and whether it has been worth the fee, but it is made easier by the financial restrictions on Albion.

The fact that the B71 outfit can hardly spend does raise questions about whether it was wise to spend £3m on a transfer fee and potentially £2m per year in wages on one player.

That is especially the case for a centre-back who has only truly thrived in recent years in struggling Championship sides.

He has been successful in the Midlands, but has played a role in the Baggies’ struggles towards the bottom of the table.

There are contrasting reviews surrounding Phillips, and as it seems, his fee and wages may not be totally worth the difference he has made at The Hawthorns.