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Foden lost his position at Manchester City. |
Just a year ago, Phil Foden was at the heart of Manchester City’s success story – Premier League heroes and the embodiment of Pep Guardiola’s footballing philosophy. Now he stands on the outside looking in, an unwilling witness to the Spaniard’s tactical transformation.
The 2023/24 season was the most brilliant time of Phil Foden's career. With 27 goals and 13 assists, the English midfielder was not only Manchester City's brightest star but also the best player in the Premier League. With Kevin De Bruyne sidelined with injury in the first half of the season, Foden took on the responsibility of leading the way for "The Citizens".
"Phil is the perfect embodiment of our philosophy," Guardiola said of his favourite player as he lifted his fourth consecutive Premier League title. "He is the future of Manchester City."
But football is a brutal sport of the present, not the past or the future. And Phil Foden's present is a different story altogether.
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The 2024/25 season has become a nightmare for Foden. |
The 2024/25 season has been a nightmare for Foden. After playing for England at EURO 2024, he has not had the rest he needed to recover. The result has been a series of fitness issues and inconsistent form.
"Foden is paying the price for not getting enough rest," a club source revealed. "He keeps trying to play when his body is sending warning signals."
Despite a promising start to 2025, with six goals and one assist in his first four games, Foden quickly fell out of favour in key games. He was completely silent in the Champions League clash with Real Madrid, and was absent in the crucial games against Arsenal and Liverpool - defeats that cost Manchester City the Premier League crown after four years of dominance.
In Man City's last five games, Foden has only played once - in the Manchester derby at Old Trafford, where he was completely harmless, a far cry from the player who scored six goals in four matches against the "Red Devils" last season.
What could be more painful than seeing Guardiola - the man who once brought him to the top of the world - now "devalue" by leaving Foden on the bench in decisive matches against Leicester, Everton and Aston Villa? Even in the recent match against Aston Villa, Pep prioritized giving opportunities to James McAtee - a young player with much less reputation than Foden.
"I'm not fair to the wingers," Guardiola admitted at a recent press conference. "We're focusing on building a team with more central players."
The admission comes as a blow to Foden, who was once Manchester City's star man.
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Can Phil Foden overcome this difficult period to regain his place in the Manchester City squad? |
While Foden was sidelined watching his teammates play, De Bruyne fully recovered and regained his position. Doku and Savinho - promising new signings - are also gradually gaining Guardiola's trust.
Even when Erling Haaland was injured, forcing Guardiola to adjust his tactics, Foden was still not the first choice. This raised a big question: Does Foden still have a place in the long-term plans of "The Citizens"?
"Phil is at a crucial stage in his career," the British media commented. "He is too good to accept a reserve role, but it seems Guardiola wants to build a Manchester City without Foden at the centre."
With a contract still running and a star status already established, Foden’s story at the Etihad is far from over. However, if things don’t improve, it’s possible the talented midfielder could seek a new challenge next summer.
Can Phil Foden overcome this difficult period to regain his place in the Manchester City squad? Or does a new chapter await him elsewhere? The only thing that is certain is that under Guardiola, no position is untouchable - even if you were once the team's brightest star.
Source: https://znews.vn/foden-tu-so-1-thanh-nguoi-thua-post1548436.html
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