Among the many, many quality players that Manchester City have in their squad at the moment is Phil Foden.
Phil Foden has come through the Manchester City academy and has established himself in the first team.
Foden is only 23 now, but it seems as though he has been around forever.
The England international has made 136 appearances in the Premier League so far in his career.
The midfielder has scored 36 goals and given 21 assists in those games.
Foden has flourished under manager Pep Guardiola at City.
Pep Guardiola on Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden
Guardiola rates Foden highly.
The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss has noted what makes Foden so special.
Interestingly, Guardiola has said that he would like Foden to become a holding midfielder, but the City boss has made it clear that he is not going to curb the natural instincts of the £225,000-a-week (Spotrac) 23-year-old.
Guardiola said about Foden, as quoted in CityXtra: “I think Phil (Foden) has a free instinct as a football player. He’s not a player that thinks too much when he plays.
“He doesn’t have to think, ‘Oh what has the manager said to me?’ He’s a bird, flying wherever you want and do it.
“But sometimes it is the step he has to gain as a football player, playing in that position to have some duties he has to do for the team, it depends on if they do (this), I have to do (this). If they don’t do (this), I have to do that. But he’s so young.”
The City manager added: “What I would like at the end is he plays as a holding midfielder, the two holding midfielders that play there too. For that, he needs to understand the game as a global, in everything, not just me.
“But, at the same time, he has this instinct, natural, like the big talents, in the final third, I’m not going to stop him. I’m not going to step and say, ‘Don’t do that!’ Because he’s unique. But at 16-years-old he was unique, at 17, at 18.”
My View: Phil Foden should do what Pep Guardiola tells him to do
In my opinion, Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden should trust Pep Guardiola’s judgement and allow him to shape him and his game in the future.
If Guardiola thinks that Foden is going to excel as a holding midfielder, then the England international midfielder should try to learn the role as best as he can.
Guardiola is one of the best managers of all time and is brilliant at coaching players and making them better.
I believe that Foden should simply follow Guardiola’s lead.
