Theo Walcott says one Manchester City star plays as if he’s much older than he is.
The Blues recently beat Champions League-chasing Aston Villa 4-1 on Wednesday night at the Etihad Stadium.
After this game, one figure in Pep Guardiola’s squad, who had a big impact in the win against Villa, found himself on the end of some significant praise from one former top-flight star.
Walcott hails ‘extraordinary’ City star
Speaking in BBC 5 Live Sport, Walcott had this to say about Phil Foden after his performance against Villa in midweek.
He said: “Phil Foden has learnt from Bernardo [Silva], David Silva, Pep, [Kevin] De Bruyne. He is at this moment in time one of the best players in the Premier League, and he is only 23 or 24.
“With all the experience he is probably playing like a 30-year-old because he is that knowledgeable and that experienced, he likes to take it in.
“He’s a good kid. He is an extraordinary talent and it’s one of those where because he’s grown up in the city, it makes it even more special.”
After making his senior debut for the Citizens back in November 2017, the 23-year-old has gone on to make 261 appearances for his club across all competitions, scoring 81 goals and delivering 51 assists in the process.
In 44 appearances this season, Foden has found the back of the net 21 times and supplied 10 assists.
His overall performances in the Premier League have earned the England international a season rating of 7.47/10 from WhoScored, making him the third-highest-rated player in the division.
Having been a part of the City squad for such a long time and played alongside the names Walcott mentioned, it’s hard to disagree with the former Arsenal winger that these factors added on to his individual talent and work ethic have contributed to him being the star player he is now.
