In his recent column for the Daily Mail, former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy has urged Manchester City youngster Phil Foden to stay put at the Etihad Stadium for now and wrote, “He is a special, special player and in his case, I’d suggest the best thing would be to stay close to Pep Guardiola because I believe the City manager has a clear plan.
“In the short term, it seems hard. But looking at the bigger picture, I can see Foden becoming the stand-out player of his generation.
“I think in 12 months time he may be a permanent fixture in the City starting line-up because I think they will trust in him rather than splash out £70million looking for a replacement for David Silva, who is in his final season.
“I’m sure Guardiola is talking to Foden about the future and I think the player should trust his manager, even if it means missing Euro 2020.
“It’s his misfortune that getting into City’s midfield is probably the toughest job in football now, but Silva will go and Foden will come in, I believe.
“If by next September he’s still not getting games, a rethink may be called for, but not now. I believe if he were at other Big Six clubs, he’d already be a regular, it is just the competition at City is so fierce and requires a little more patience.”
Foden’s Frustrations At Man City Could Disappear Next Season
Foden has every right to be frustrated after earning just 11 minutes of playing time for the Citizens this season. However, the English starlet might finally get an opportunity to impress Pep Guardiola when Man City faces off against Preston North End in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night.
Murphy makes a good point when he mentions the fact that David Silva’s spell with the Premier League champions will likely come to a conclusion at the end of this campaign which could pave the way for Foden to replace the Spaniard in Guardiola’s starting XI.
What Can The English Sensation Do To Ensure More Game Time?
However, the lack of game time this season has already harmed Foden’s chances of earning his first international cap for Gareth Southgate’s England national side, which is a cause for concern. Therefore, switching clubs in January either on loan or permanently seems to be the only logical option for the English whizkid if he wants to establish himself as a household name in European football.
What Does Foden Offer On The Field?
Foden, who is nicknamed ‘The Stockport Iniesta’, is a moderately paced midfielder who can make some energetic runs from midfield to cause a lot of problems for the opposition defenders. He is also a decent distributor of the ball and doesn’t shy away from setting up his teammates when they are in space in the final third. The English rising star had already shown some glimpses of his true potential in a Man City shirt last season. Therefore, he should be fairly confident about his ability to succeed at the highest level.
Should Foden Listen To Danny Murphy’s Advice?
For now, Foden’s situation at the Etihad doesn’t seem like it would change unless Guardiola’s squad is hit with more injuries or suspensions this term. Thus, the Stockport-born prospect should consider leaving the Citizens on loan when the transfer window reopens in January. It is no secret that he is in dire need of regular playing time so that he can showcase his talents to the world in the coming years. Maybe a six-month loan deal away from Manchester this winter could help Foden develop and come back as a stronger version of himself next summer.
