Phil Foden Tipped for Man City Exit As Nightmare Scenario Named

Phil Foden has been tipped to leave Manchester City and avoid a nightmare scenario after finding himself out of the England squad.

Yet to make a start for City this season, Foden was not selected by Thomas Tuchel for England's latest World Cup qualifiers and was told to "find the joy back in his game".

He pulled out of June's fixtures and has been struggling with ankle problems, though Foden has admitted that other off-field problems affected what was a poor 2024/25 season by his standards.

After an excellent campaign where he fired City to a record-breaking fourth Premier League title with 19 goals and eight assists, Foden deservedly received the PFA Players' Player of the Year award.

But his level dropped last season for City, who finished third in the Premier League and lost the FA Cup final to Crystal Palace.

Foden had seven goals and two assists in the Premier League and though he scored three goals in four games at the Club World Cup, he's not had the ideal start to the new campaign - where City have already lost twice.

Speaking about Foden ahead of a huge derby against rivals Manchester United, Alan Brazil wondered whether Foden may have to move on with his World Cup spot under threat.

“I'm astonished he's not playing at the moment, I really am," he said on talkSPORT.

“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.”

"Let Phil go then, let him go - he's too good a player not to be playing.”

Foden has played just once for City this season. Image: Getty

Foden is a boyhood City fan who joined the club's academy at a young age before winning every major honour in the first-team. The 25-year-old is contracted until 2027 and Pep Guardiola has said that he would never be sold at any price.

But he has not featured for England since March in Tuchel's first camp and so many other attacking midfielders are in form at the same time.

With City also not short of quality players in his same position, former Aston Villa and England striker Gabby Agbonghalor isn't sure whether he starts for the Blues.

"He needs to get back to that sort of form for me to break into this England squad now," he stated.

“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, a starter at Forest. Jude Bellingham, definitely a starter at Real Madrid. Cole Palmer, a starter at Chelsea. And Morgan Rogers is a starter at Aston Villa.

“Phil Foden's not a guaranteed starter at Man City now.”

Back fit again, Foden has the perfect opportunity to get going against rivals United in Sunday's derby at the Etihad Stadium. He has six goals against United in 11 Premier League appearances.