Shaun Wright-Phillips

By Craig · Published 27 October 2026

Shaun Wright-Phillips is a winger from south London, five feet six, who came through Manchester City's academy and was sold to Chelsea for £21 million in 2005. He is Ian Wright's adopted son.

Clubs

Manchester City (1999 to 2005), Chelsea (2005 to 2008), Manchester City (2008 to 2011), Queens Park Rangers (2011 to 2015), New York Red Bulls (2015 to 2016), Phoenix Rising (2017)

Premier League

316 appearances, 32 goals

Honours

Premier League 2006, FA Cup 2007, Community Shield 2005, First Division 2002, PFA Team of the Year 2004/05

International

England, 36 caps, 6 goals

Fantasy price

£8.0m in 2004/05

Who did he play for?

Nottingham Forest released him at 17, telling him he was too small. He joined City's new academy and made his debut in a League Cup tie at Burnley in August 1999.

Kevin Keegan made him a regular in 2001/02, when City won the First Division with 99 points. He scored seven league goals in 2003/04 and ten in 2004/05, was in the PFA Team of the Year, and scored on his England debut against Ukraine in August 2004. He won City's young player of the year award four years running, a club record.

Chelsea paid £21 million on 18 July 2005. City had turned down £7 million from Tottenham and £20 million from Chelsea first, and he has said he later learned the sale kept the club out of administration. He won the title in his first season and the FA Cup in 2007, but waited 17 months and 52 games for his first Chelsea goal, in the Champions League against Levski Sofia.

City bought him back on 28 August 2008 for about £8.5 million and he scored twice at Sunderland in his first game. He left for QPR on deadline day 2011, scored once in 56 league games for them, and finished in the United States.

He won 36 England caps between 2004 and 2010. He retired in August 2019 and now works as a pundit.

The moment: the transfer, 18 July 2005

On 18 July 2005, a year after signing a four-year contract and saying he expected to spend his whole career at City, he was sold to the champions. He has said he cried in the car on the way to the medical.

At Chelsea he played 82 league games in three seasons and scored four times. His first two league goals came together, in a 4-1 win at West Ham on 18 April 2007.

His only QPR league goal won the derby against Chelsea, 1-0 at Loftus Road on 2 January 2013.

Why the streets won't forget

His early City shirts read Phillips, because the full name wouldn't fit until the club curved the lettering.

Four young player of the year awards in a row, from 1999/2000 to 2002/03, a City record.

Ian Wright, commentating on one of his injuries, said his legs were made of rubber.

He has said he thought he would be at City for his whole career.

Which seasons can you draft him in?

Eleven. 2001/02 and 2013/14 were outside the Premier League, and his seven games in 2010/11 and four in 2014/15 don't make the game's squads.

One season: 2004/05, ten goals from the wing in a team that finished eighth.

Want him in your retro fantasy football team for 2004/05? He'll cost you £8.0m.