Foden Opens Up on England Euro Snub

For most fans with Man City tickets, seeing Phil Foden underperform for perhaps the first time in his career was sad. 

Foden was the Premier League’s Player of the Season last season and was instrumental in Manchester City’s win. 

But this season has been a stop-start affair.  His lacklustre form has also affected the side’s play, as they are on one of their worst possible runs in the Premier League under Pep Guardiola. 

Since then, Foden has spoken about his struggles and how he aims to overcome them.

England National Duty Affected Me – Foden

Phil Foden has voiced his disappointment towards the position given to him in England’s Euro 2024 squad, admitting his “low mental state” affected his early season form at Manchester City.

Foden was named the Premier League’s Player of the Season heading into the tournament, having dazzled in an attacking midfield role for Pep Guardiola’s champions. 

However, with Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham playing a similar role, then-manager Gareth Southgate asked Foden to play out on the left wing.

While Foden is no stranger to the position, it is not his preferred area on the pitch, and that led to a Euro 2024 run that featured neither a goal nor an assist as England fell to Spain in the final.

“I feel frustrated I didn’t get out what I wanted to get out of it,” he told the Manchester Evening News. “The position I was put in on the left was difficult to influence the game.

“Coming off last season as the best player in the Premier League and playing centre-midfield, I feel the position was quite difficult to get used to. I can play multiple positions and had to try to deal with it the best I could. I don’t feel like England ever got going or performed to our potential.”

The impact of a mid-season tournament took its toll on Foden, who felt fatigued upon his return to City and did not score his first Premier League goal until December. Since then, however, Foden has netted six goals in as many games.

“I’ve been playing since the age of five, pushing myself every day to be the best I can,” he continued. “It’s just the way I am. I’ve always given 100% in training, but it is a lot for the body when you add up all the game and all the travelling.

“I just wasn’t feeling 100% when I was training, and then there were a few niggles. There were times when I was getting frustrated a lot because I enjoy my football and want to be out there, and when things are not helping you to be 100%, it’s really difficult to accept that.

“For me, football is played with the brain, and when the brain is mentally fatigued, you’re not going to see a player for who he is. I’m normally itching to get back, but when I came back, my body and my mental state were low.

“I had a bit of rest just to give my body time to recover. I took the start of the season very slowly. I didn’t play much and was just resting and trying to get back to myself. My body just didn’t feel how I was used to it, which I’ve had to deal with. I feel that’s the reason why I had a slow start to the season.

“When you start the season good, I feel you have the rest of the season good, but I missed periods at the start of the season, so that’s why it’s taken me so long to get going. You can’t dwell on it too much; these things happen to footballers, and I’ve slowly returned to myself.”

Manchester City has steadied the ship to a certain level since the start of 2025, but the club’s aim of keeping its Champions League qualification alive still looks a challenge. 

While the team sits in the top four at the moment, those with Man City tickets will hope their team has their act together to run until the end. 

City Looking for Defensive Options

Manchester City are reportedly ‘closing in’ on the signing of Juventus and Italy full-back Andrea Cambiaso.

This has all got to do with Kyle Walker leaving the club mid-season. 

Despite reported interest from Saudi Arabia, Walker has joined Juventus’ rivals AC Milan on a six-month loan with an option to buy.

The 34-year-old is keen to continue his England career and knew moving to the Middle East would jeopardize that.

Walker is currently on 93 caps and is desperate to reach a century. The Three Lions are not in action until March, which will be Thomas Tuchel’s first experience as head coach.

City have been busy in the January transfer window, spending big money on Egypt forward Omar Marmoush and young defender Abdukodir Khusanov – who became the first Uzbek to play in the Premier League against Chelsea on Saturday.

Fans with Man City tickets love the club’s approach to revitalizing their squad, and strengthening defences is an utmost priority. 

Khusanov struggled on his debut, and Pep Guardiola is keen to bolster his defence with another addition.

According to Mirror Football, Man City is ‘closing in’ on signing Cambiaso from Juventus in a deal worth around £ 59 million.

Cambiaso has apparently ‘shocked’ the Serie A giants by ‘ruling himself out’ of their Champions League match against Benfica on Wednesday as he pushes for a move to the Premier League.

Juventus head coach Thiago Motta has confirmed that Cambiaso still has ankle soreness and will not be fit for the Benfica clash, days after missing his team’s first Serie A defeat of the season at Napoli.

Mirror journalist Simon Mullock claims that Motta wants Feyenoord’s David Hancko to replace Cambiaso if he joins City.

Cambiaso joined Juve from Genoa for around 11 million euros in July 2022. He spent the 2022/23 season on loan at Bologna before making 39 appearances for the Old Lady last term.

The 24-year-old has two goals and two assists in 28 appearances across all competitions this campaign and has impressed with his versatility.

Man City tickets are now available for the remaining Premier League games.