Phil Foden has signed a new four-year contract with Manchester City that runs until 2030, with an additional 12-month option – a deal that comes just weeks after the 26-year-old was left out of Thomas Tuchel’s England World Cup squad.
Foden, who has spent his entire career at City under Pep Guardiola, is now set to work under new head coach Enzo Maresca, who was Guardiola’s assistant during the 2022-23 treble-winning season. “I can’t wait to work with Enzo again,” Foden said. “He was brilliant during the treble season – someone all the players respected and loved working with.”
“Phil Foden signs four-year City contract until 2030 after England World Cup snub, excited to work with Maresca.”
The midfielder has been City’s most decorated player alongside John Stones and Bernardo Silva, with 17 major honours including six Premier League titles, one Champions League and two FA Cups. But his form has dipped since a career-high 27 goals and 12 assists in the season after the treble. Last term he scored seven goals and assisted five times in 33 Premier League appearances, while the previous campaign he managed seven goals and two assists in 28 top-flight games.
Foden lost his starting place under Guardiola as the pacier options of Jeremy Doku and Antoine Semenyo fed striker Erling Haaland from out wide, with Rayan Cherki often preferred as the playmaker. That pushed Foden into a deeper role, limiting his goal contributions. After his World Cup omission, the Professional Footballers’ Association said Foden had been a “victim” of the squad selection.
Despite the setbacks, Foden insists committing his future to City was an easy decision. “Committing my future to City means everything to me. Playing for this club is all I’ve ever wanted to do and it’s always an honour to wear the shirt,” he said. “It’s not lost on me that I’ve been lucky enough to be part of a historic period with so many titles won, but we’re always looking to the future and trying to win more.”
The new deal signals the firm belief of Maresca and director of football Hugo Viana that Foden can recapture his best form. Foden is optimistic about Maresca’s style: “You can tell by the first few sessions I’ve done with him – the way he likes to play out from the back and play a lot of possession-based – it suits my game really well. I’m looking forward to that and hopefully it can help my game go to the next stage.”
Foden, who made his first-team debut as a 17-year-old under Guardiola, has now made 369 appearances for the club. “Not in a million years [would I think this],” he said of his longevity. “I would say I had a dream to make it to the first team, but to stay this long, it’s a dream.”