An input signal is sampled at a current sampling phase by a sampler device of a receiver device. The sampled input signal is equalized by an adaptive equalizer of the receiver device. One or more parameters of the adaptive equalizer are adapted, based on the equalized input signal, under one or more adaptation constraints. Phase gradient information indicative of an offset of the current sampling phase from an optimal sampling phase is determined, and the one or more adaptation constraints of the adaptive equalizer are updated based on the phase gradient information to move the current sampling phase towards the optimal sampling phase.