- Manchester City should keep Phil Foden
- Foden has one year left on his contract.
- Manchester City’s stance is finalised.
Despite Phil Foden having yet another difficult season at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City should keep him at the club beyond this campaign.
There is no excusing the England international’s displays this season, as his form has dipped once again after a strong first half of the campaign. Foden was ineffective against Southampton in the FA Cup semi-final, which emphasises his drastic fall from grace in recent years.
Meanwhile, Rayan Cherki continues to impress, a player who has taken the 25-year-old’s place in the side and even Nico O’Reilly, who initially ousted his countryman from City’s midfield.
However, there are plenty of reasons why Manchester City would be making a mistake if they ended up offloading Foden in the summer.
Man City should not sell Phil Foden
First things first, regardless of the poor form he is in, Foden is undeniably one of City’s biggest match-winners. Despite largely playing in a deeper role in the middle of the park for much of this season, the six-time Premier League winner has come up clutch with a moment of magic in the final third.
The silky attacker’s last-gasp winner against Leeds United springs to mind as one, as does his sublime brace against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.
Furthermore, Pep Guardiola publicly backed Foden and rightfully so as even this season, his showings as a number eight showcased how key he can be to this Manchester City side.
Keeping aside Foden’s knack of scoring and creating goals in the final third, the Stockport-born sensation’s presence also elevates City’s build-up, breaks the lines and is a relentless worker.
No player in the Premier League this season has covered more total distance per 90 than Phil Foden – 11.04km #MCFC pic.twitter.com/E0iT1VYgdV
— Gradient Sports (@Gradient_Sports) January 13, 2026
A potential theory about Foden’s sudden dip in form can be put down to exhaustion, as by early January, he had covered the most distance (11.04 km) out of any Premier League player in his newfound role – as per Gradient Sports.
Foden acknowleged his struggles and while he has underwhelmed this campaign, he remains one of Manchester City’s best and most tactically flexible players.
With John Stones potentially leaving Manchester City and Bernardo Silva’s exit already being confirmed, the club cannot afford to lose another serial winner like the Englishman in the summer. If any player deserves grace for their invaluable contributions to City over the years, it is Foden.
READ MORE: Pep Guardiola tells Phil Foden what he must do to be at his best for Manchester City
Man City’s stance on selling Phil Foden
Manchester City intend to keep Foden, which would delight a majority of the fanbase due to how much he means to the club.
Furthermore, the contract negotiations involving the club and the City technician are believed to be progressing in the right direction.
With Foden contracted to Manchester City until 2027, Pep Guardiola and Co will be hoping to seal his brand-new deal as soon as possible.
Man City’s ideal Foden replacement
If the Sky Blues end up parting ways with the two-time FA Cup winner, a player they should certainly target is Bayern Munich superstar Jamal Musiala.
While Musiala signed a new deal until 2030 last year, journalist Florian Plettenberg revealed that he has a release clause worth €175 million (£151.5 million) in his contract.
🚨🔓 Jamal #Musiala’s new contract (until 2030) includes a release clause:
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) February 14, 2025
➡️ Summer 2025 to Winter 2028/2029: €175 million
➡️ From Summer 2029 and Winter 2029/2030: €100 million. @SkySportDE 🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/9iGtasUNeQ
With Pep Guardiola’s side eyeing Yan Diomande, Eli Junior Kroupi, Givairo Read as well as Manchester City-linked Elliot Anderson, the club may struggle to budget for another big-name addition such as the German’s.
However, as far as like-for-like replacements go, Musiala may be the best possible successor to Foden, having cemented his reputation as one of the best attacking midfielders in world football for years.
READ MORE: Gabriel Agbonlahor explains why Phil Foden should leave Manchester City
