Pep Guardiola has insisted he has “zero” concerns over Phil Foden, despite the Manchester City midfielder facing an uncertain future at both club and international level. Foden endured a difficult week as he was handed two opportunities to impress England manager Thomas Tuchel but failed to seize his chance, casting doubt on his place for the 2026 World Cup.
Tuchel admitted he started Foden in the recent internationals based on promising training displays, hoping the 25-year-old would “surprise” in matches, but the plan did not come off. The England boss suggested he could still take Foden to the tournament even without an upturn in form, though offered no guarantees.
At club level, Foden must first regain Guardiola’s favour. After being one of City’s standout performers in the first half of the season, his form has dipped. He did not play a single minute in either leg of the Champions League defeat to Real Madrid and featured only briefly in the Carabao Cup final win over Arsenal.
Foden has started just two of the last ten Premier League games, one of which was the 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest—a result Guardiola still recalls with frustration as a missed opportunity to close the gap on Arsenal. The manager is waiting for the same turnaround Tuchel hoped for.
“Nothing. Zero,” Guardiola said of his concerns. “He’s 25, 26 years old, six Premier Leagues, he’s won a lot of things and the contribution he has done is incredible. What happens is a normal process in a long, long, long career. It’s a normal situation and the moment he will make the click and turn he will be back.”
