Manchester City transfer news: Pep Guardiola rules out Phil Foden leaving club on loan
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Phil Foden will NOT be leaving Manchester City on loan this month, Pep Guardiola has confirmed.
Foden, the midfielder, scored his first home goal for City on Sunday afternoon, starting and completing the whole of the 7-0 FA Cup third round rout of Rotherham.
He impressed playing alongside the likes of Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne, and truly great things are expected of the 18-year-old.
Nonetheless, questions have been asked about Foden’s recent development, as he’s rarely been afforded game time at the highest level by Guardiola.
He started just three matches last season and has raised that total to six so far this term, but they’ve all been in the less important fixtures – cup matches and a dead rubber Champions League tie.
Foden’s been limited to just 91 Premier League minutes since the start of 2018/19, and there have been calls for the youngster to leave City on loan as a way to ensure his development does not stall.
However, Guardiola has ruled out Foden departing the Etihad this month, claiming such a move is ‘impossible’.
When asked about Foden’s future, Guardiola said: “Phil Foden loan? No way! No way, impossible.
“He’s going to stay with us many, many years. Impossible. Believe me, if he plays, it’s because we believe he can play.
“We are not here to be nice people to bring him on the pitch because he’s a Manchester City fan or is a nice guy. It’s because we believe he can do it.
“He’s made mistakes and done good things – that’s part of the process. Nobody was born knowing everything.”
Man City’s youth record has come under the microscope recently due to Brahim Diaz leaving the club for Real Madrid as he did not have a pathway into Guardiola’s team.
He leaves the Etihad a year-and-a-half after Jadon Sancho secured a move to Borussia Dortmund, also due to the lack of game time he was being afforded at senior level.