Phil Foden to make shock Manchester City exit: report

Phil Foden of Manchester City during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Manchester United at Etihad Stadium on March 03, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Phil Foden has been one of the Premier League's standout players at Manchester City this season, but he could be set to make a shock exit in the summer transfer window.

In the absence of Kevin De Bruyne at the start of 2023/24, Foden stepped up to help Manchester City dominate teams in their usual way. His impressive return of 18 goals and 10 assists in 40 appearances for Pep Guardiola's side highlights his importance, while also 

But the Manchester City forward could be tempted into a move away ahead of his eighth season in the first team, after winning everything available to him at his boyhood side. 

Phil Foden Manchester City star scores a goal against Brentford in west London

Foden has shone for City this season (Image credit: Getty Images)

According to Spanish outlet Defensa Central, Real Madrid are working hard to persuade Phil Foden to join them this summer, after all but securing the signing of Kylian Mbappe on a free transfer from PSG

The report suggests that Juni Calafat, Real Madrid's chief scout, is attempting to make a deal for the 23-year-old a reality, after identifying him as the next superstar to grace the Bernabeu pitch. 

With Foden's England team-mate Jude Bellingham already thriving in the Spanish capital, he could be tempted to make the La Liga switch at the end of the current campaign. 

Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham celebrate a goal during England's 3-0 win over Wales at World Cup 2022.

Foden could be tempted to join Bellingham at Real Madrid (Image credit: Getty Images)

But he won't come cheap, with Foden's Manchester City contract not expiring until the summer of 2027. Transfermarkt also values him at £100m - though it would likely take a lot more to prise the Premier League's best player this term away from Pep Guardiola. 

Despite that, though, Manchester City will allow wantaway players to leave, as evidenced through the sales of Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez in recent seasons. 

If Phil Foden does decide on moving to Real Madrid, competition for places would become even more than he currently experiences at Manchester City, too. Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr. and Bellingham are already at the club, while Mbappe and Endrick are set to join in the summer. Breaking into the first team, therefore, could prove even more difficult. 

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Ryan Dabbs
Staff writer

Ryan is a staff writer for FourFourTwo, joining the team full-time in October 2022. He first joined Future in December 2020, working across FourFourTwo, Golf Monthly, Rugby World and Advnture's websites, before eventually earning himself a position with FourFourTwo permanently. After graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Journalism and Communications, Ryan earned a NCTJ qualification to further develop as a writer while a Trainee News Writer at Future.