Phil Foden, one of England’s brightest young talents, is being wasted at Manchester City. Last season he made 13 appearances in the Premier League, ten of which came from the substitutes bench. The young 19-year-old should follow in the footsteps of his former academy teammate Jadon Sancho and leave the Etihad for his own good.
Phil Foden Should Leave Manchester City
Follow The Footsteps Of His Former Teammate
Jadon Sancho left Manchester City a year into Pep Guardiola’s reign. He considered it best for his career; now he is one of the first names in the England squad.
Meanwhile, Foden has seen his career stagnate somewhat. Sancho has made more than double the amount of senior appearances with Borussia Dortmund than Foden has Manchester City. Phil Foden is being held back from releasing his full potential. If he had released it by now, he would be in the England senior side alongside Sancho.
Several Players Ahead Of Phil Foden At Manchester City
The problem that the 19-year-old is suffering is that there are several players that play in the same position at the Etihad. As a result, he is struggling to break down the barrier of the first team.
Pep Guardiola is fortunate to possess some of the best attacking midfielders in the world at City. For example, Kevin De Bruyne possesses an immaculate passing range, he is the catalyst of the side. They lost just four of the games that the Belgian featured in last season, winning the other 19.
The same can be said for David Silva. El Mago, translating to ‘Merlin’ in English, has spent the last nine seasons with the Manchester club. The modern-day Manchester City legend registered nine goals and nine assists last season as they completed the domestic treble. When one attacking midfielder at the Etihad fails to step up, another takes their place.
Replacement For Silva?
Is Pep Guardiola keeping the youngster around as he views him as a replacement for David Silva?
The 33-year-old will be departing Manchester at the end of his contract, which expires at the end of this season. Speaking to BBC Sport in 2018, he expressed his desire to play for Spanish side Las Palmas, as they are the club nearest to his hometown in Spain.
Instead of spending yet more money on the Spaniard’s replacement, Guardiola can promote from within. Silva has already given his encouragement and backed the youngster. Speaking to David McDonnell of the Daily Mirror, he praised the youngster, saying: “I’m sure he’s going to be a fantastic player.
“Apart from his natural skills, he’s a very competitive person. He always wants to win and that makes a very good footballer.”
Verdict
It may prove useful for Phil Foden to bide his time at Manchester City and see if he is viewed as the replacement for David Silva. However, if he is not, then he should seek to leave for the benefit of his career.
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