According to the Telegraph, Phil Foden is ‘frustrated’ at the lack of playing time being given to him by Pep Guardiola this season.
The 20-year-old has featured in 18 games from a possible 23 in 2020/21, but he’s only started one of Manchester City’s last 10 Premier League games and has been an unused substitute in four of their previous eight.
Where will Manchester City finish this season?
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Foden has made a total of 92 appearances in all competitions since making a first-team debut for City, scoring 20 goals with 16 assists, but he’s still not commanding a starting place in his third season at senior level.
The Telegraph say the England international wants to play in a central role, but he finds himself behind Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan in the pecking order. Guardiola has often put Foden out wide too, but Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva, Ferran Torres and Riyad Mahrez have been preferred.
Foden signed a six-year deal with City in 2018, so his long-term future isn’t exactly precarious, but it’s not good that this story is coming out. After seeing Jaden Sancho leave and become a star at Borussia Dortmund, Pep Guardiola can’t afford to let another talented player depart from a lack of opportunities.
In other news, a lot of fans have blasted ‘shambles’ Manchester City’s fixture cancellation