Manchester City prodigy Phil Foden has reportedly popped up on the radars of La Liga giants Barcelona, with manager Xavi Hernandez a big admirer.
According to a report from El Nacional, La Liga heavyweights Barcelona are interested in Manchester City and England sensation Phil Foden, who has been likened to Blaugrana legend Andres Iniesta.
Foden came through the youth ranks at Manchester City before breaking into the first team under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola in 2017. The young attacking midfielder has since grown into one of the most exciting young footballers across the continent, becoming a key part of Guardiola’s setup at the Etihad Stadium in the process.
Foden has made close to 150 appearances for the reigning champions of England and has been directly involved in 65 goals (37 G, 28 A). A full international for England, the 21-year-old has earned 17 caps and was part of the team that made it to the finals of the UEFA Euro 2020.
Despite all his brilliance, Foden has had to share game-time with the host of attacking talent present on Manchester City’s books. This season, the youngster has started just nine of the Cityzens’ 19 Premier League games, netting four goals and assisting three more.
The England international’s innate talent and versatile nature have now seemingly caught the attention of Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez, who is keen on signing the 21-year-old. The Catalans have already raided Manchester City this month for the signing of Ferran Torres, who is on the verge of completing a transfer to Camp Nou.
The Blaugrana also have their eyes on two more Manchester City stars in Bernardo Silva and Joao Cancelo, with now Foden also emerging as a transfer target for the La Liga bigwigs. The report says that Xavi has asked club president Joan Laporta to look into the prospect of signing the England international as he seeks to add more quality to his squad.
Despite the interest, it is unlikely to lead to anything substantial. Guardiola and Manchester City see Foden as a pivotal part of the project at the Etihad Stadium and are unlikely to sanction a sale. Furthermore, given Barcelona’s financial problems, signing the 21-year-old is unlikely to be within their means either.
So, while Xavi might be an admirer of the England international, the chances of him luring Foden to Barcelona are next to none as things stand.
