The Daily Mirror has recently revealed that Real Madrid have emerged as serious contenders for Manchester City starlet Phil Foden. It is believed that Los Blancos are quite encouraged by the English midfielder’s lack of playing minutes at the Etihad Stadium this season and could be inclined to move in for him if his career stalls in English football (via The Daily Mirror).
Foden’s Excellent Form In European Football This Season
The Stockport-born youngster has managed to impress by producing some eye-catching displays even though he has struggled to earn regular first-team starts under Pep Guardiola’s tutelage this season. Foden has registered five goals and four assists in 18 matches for Man City this term across multiple competitions.
The 20-year-old deserves a lot of credit for averaging 2.3 shots, 1.7 key passes, 1.3 crosses and 1.7 dribbles per 90 minutes in the UEFA Champions League group stages. He has proven his worth as an accurate ball-distributor after completing 82.4% of his attempted passes in European football (stats via whoscored).
With Foden enjoying a decent run of form in the Champions League, it is no wonder that he has caught the eye of Real Madrid ahead of the winter transfer window. The English prospect has already shown plenty of promising signs at the Etihad this season but could be tempted to join Los Blancos in search of more game time in the coming seasons.
What Will The England International Add To Zinedine Zidane’s Team?
Foden is blessed with decent pace and outstanding dribbling ability to travel with the ball without losing possession in the final third. He loves to make driving runs towards the opponent’s penalty area and is not shy of having a shot at goal when given time and space by the opposition.
The two-time England international can be a joy to watch when he is running at full sprint. Foden has also transformed himself into a composed finisher in front of goal. At 20, he plays at a level well beyond his years and could potentially become a generational talent in the years to come.
Foden has also got a wide range of passes in his locker but needs to improve his upper-body strength if he wants to become a world-class player in his position someday. Los Blancos will do well to lure him away from Manchester as he will be an ideal acquisition for them in the long-run.
Foden will add a lot of goals and creativity to Zidane’s attacking department. However, the Spanish champions will have to guarantee the English whizkid regular playing minutes if they are to stand a chance of convincing him to seal a move to the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. If the Madrid head coach is confident that he can get the best out of Foden in the future, then he should consider making a move to land him next year.
