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Pep Guardiola has been told to let Phil Foden leave Manchester City if he’s not going to be first-choice once he returns from injury.
That’s the opinion of talkSPORT host Alan Brazil, who argued the England international is better than the other options at the Etihad.
Foden has been hampered by a mixture of fitness and form issues for over a year since his standout 2023/24 campaign.
Coming into Euro 2024 as the reigning PFA Players’ Player of the Year, the ‘Stockport Iniesta’ was earmarked as England’s talisman.
Foden had just registered 19 Premier League goals and eight assists to help City lift a record fourth consecutive Premier League title.
However, he failed to register a goal or assist at the Euros despite starting all seven of England’s games in their run to the final.
That poor form continued into last season, where the 25-year-old only managed seven goals and two assists in the top-flight.
A mark of his downturn has been that he was recently named as the biggest transfer market loser after enduring a £35m value hit.
To compound his issues, Foden revealed off-field issues played a part in his ‘frustrating season’, as he pulled out of England duty in June.
“I’m astonished he’s not playing at the moment, I really am,” Brazil told talkSPORT Breakfast on Thursday.
“A couple of seasons ago, I thought, ‘What a player’. His energy levels, some of the goals he scored, were magnificent.
“Could Phil really miss out on the World Cup next summer? I think it’d be a disaster if he did.”
‘Wake-up call’ for Foden
Foden, who last featured for England against Latvia in March, was accused of underperforming for his country by Stuart Pearce.
A lack of fitness ruled him out of contention this month, with Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer ahead of him in the pecking order.
Morgan Rogers has since staked his claim to be an option in Tuchel’s No.10 role after impressing during England’s 5-0 thrashing of Serbia.
Gabby Agbonlahor admitted: “It’s a bit of a wake-up call for him.
“He’s had injury problems at the end of last season and at the start of this season, and has only made one appearance.
“But if you look at his stats last season, 28 games in the Premier League, seven goals, two assists.
The season before, when he won Player of the Season, was 35 appearances, 19 goals, eight assists.
“He needs to get back to that sort of form for me to break into this England squad now.
“Because I just look at the options they’ve got, and I look at [Eberechi] Eze. For me, he’s a starter at Arsenal.
Morgan Gibbs-White is now a key player at Forest, while Jude Bellingham is a definite starter for Real Madrid. Cole Palmer holds a starting position at Chelsea, and Morgan Rogers has cemented his place at Aston Villa.
“Phil Foden’s not a guaranteed starter at Man City now.”
Brazil: ‘Let Phil go’
Brazil argued that Foden is better than the players Guardiola currently has ahead of him when all of his options are fully fit.
Foden started just one of City’s four matches at the Club World Cup, but still left the tournament with three goals and an assist.
In the United States, Guardiola chose Savinho and Jeremy Doku for the wide positions. Omar Marmoush, who joined last January, and Rayan Cherki, acquired in the summer, are both competing for opportunities, although both have faced injuries recently.
When discussing City’s pecking order, Brazil told talkSPORT: “Let Phil go then, let him go – he’s too good a player not to be playing.”
Agbonlahor replied: “I think he’s got a big part to play.
“When he’s back from injury, he needs to get back into that starting side now that Cherki is injured. Marmoush is injured as well.
“And he [Foden] needs to get those performances back. Show that hunger that got him player of the season.
“If he doesn’t, the players that are ahead of him…”
City’s injury list
- Rayan Cherki, Thigh Injury, potential return: 01/11/2025
- Mateo Kovacic, Calf/Shin/Heel Injury, potential return: 04/10/2025
- Josko Gvardiol, Other, potential return: 14/09/2025
- Savinho, Other, potential return: 14/09/2025
- Marcus Bettinelli, Knock, potential return: 14/09/2025
- Abdukodir Khusano, Knock, potential return: 14/09/2025
- Philip Foden, Ankle/Foot, potential return: 14/09/2025
- John Stones, Other, potential return: 14/09/2025
- Kalvin Phillips, Calf/Shin/Heel, No Return Date
What has happened to Foden?
Man City have sold an abundance of young talent under Guardiola, who have since become Premier League and European superstars.
Palmer, along with other Chelsea talents like Liam Delap and Romeo Lavia, Liverpool’s Jeremie Frimpong, and Jadon Sancho, are notable examples of former Etihad academy players who became recognized figures at different teams.
Yet that has never been a risk until now with Foden, who Guardiola once said couldn’t be sold – even if a €500million bid came in.
Reflecting on his recent struggles, Agbonlahor mentioned, “During the season he netted 19 Premier League goals, he excelled by cutting inside from the right wing and consistently curling shots into the top corner.”
“You didn’t really see that last season. Sometimes you have to have a word with yourself and say, ‘Listen, I need to get my standards back.’
“Now we’ve got a squad, and there are only three more qualifiers before the World Cup starts, with top talent, Morgan Rodgers, knocking on the door.”
Brazil shot back: “I think you’re being harsh on Foden, by the way.
“I don’t think we’ve seen him and given him a chance. I really don’t – and City are struggling, that doesn’t help.”
