Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden has committed his future to the club by signing a new four-year contract. The agreement will keep him at the Etihad Stadium until 2030, with an additional option to extend for 12 months. This extension comes as Foden prepares to work under new head coach Enzo Maresca, who previously served as an assistant to former manager Pep Guardiola during the 2022-23 season.
Foden’s previous deal was set to conclude next summer, and discussions regarding new terms had been ongoing since late 2025. The 26-year-old is seen as a crucial component of the squad under Maresca. His agent, Rafaela Pimenta, who also represents City teammate Erling Haaland, assisted in negotiating the new terms.
Expressing his commitment to the club, Foden stated that playing for Manchester City is all he has ever desired, and wearing the shirt remains an honour. He acknowledged being part of a historic period marked by numerous titles and emphasized the team’s continuous pursuit of future successes.
Foden’s Journey and Achievements
Foden made his first-team debut for Manchester City at the age of 17 under Guardiola. Throughout his career with the club, he has accumulated 369 appearances, contributing to significant trophy wins. His achievements include six Premier League titles, one Champions League, and two FA Cups, making him one of City’s most decorated players alongside John Stones and Bernardo Silva.
Despite his past successes, Foden’s performance saw a dip in recent seasons. He was omitted from Thomas Tuchel‘s England World Cup squad in May following an inconsistent season where he started only 23 Premier League matches. The Professional Footballers’ Association suggested that Foden had been affected by a demanding fixture schedule, noting that he had not been at the same level as two years prior.
Over the last six seasons, Foden is one of only three Premier League players to have scored 10 or more goals across all competitions, a group that also includes former Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah and Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins. His career-best season followed City’s Treble-winning campaign, where he recorded 27 goals and 12 assists. However, his output in the subsequent two seasons was less productive, partly due to changes in his role within the team.
Last season, Foden scored seven goals and provided five assists in 33 Premier League games. In the campaign before that, he scored seven goals and assisted twice in 28 top-flight matches. The emergence of faster options like Jeremy Doku and Antoine Semenyo, who supplied striker Erling Haaland from wide positions, and the preference for Rayan Cherki as a playmaker in attacking midfield, sometimes led to Foden playing in a deeper role, which limited his scoring and assisting opportunities.
Looking Ahead with Maresca
Foden expressed his eagerness to collaborate with Maresca once more, highlighting the Italian’s positive impact during the Treble-winning season. He noted that Maresca was highly respected and admired by all the players. Maresca, a former City academy manager, was handpicked as Guardiola’s successor after the latter concluded his 10-year tenure at the club in May.
The club has demonstrated full confidence in Foden despite his recent struggles with form and physical ailments. Last year, Foden spoke about the mental toll of a challenging season. However, Manchester City has shown faith in the player who began training with the club at six years old. Last season, Foden made 50 appearances in all competitions for City and four for England, including two World Cup qualifiers and two March friendlies.
This contract extension is anticipated to boost Manchester City‘s preparations for the upcoming season. The team is scheduled to travel to Hong Kong next week, followed by a trip to Seoul, South Korea. With many first-team players participating in the World Cup, Foden will be among the relatively few available to Maresca during the Asian tour. This presents an opportunity for him to gain a head start on his teammates as he aims to regain his peak form.
City’s Director of Football, Hugo Viana, lauded Foden as a unique talent and a source of pride for the club’s academy, emphasizing his focus, dedication, and humility. Viana noted that Foden’s development is still ongoing at 26 years old, and the club looks forward to his continued growth in the coming years. Manchester City is scheduled to play Inter in Hong Kong on Saturday, August 1.
Source: bbc.co.uk
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