Is something bigger happening behind the scenes at Manchester City?
One explosive claim has just thrown Phil Foden’s season into a whole new light.
Phil Foden was once untouchable — the golden boy of Manchester City’s dynasty, the local hero who powered Pep Guardiola’s side to history. But now, whispers are growing louder… and a bold revelation from Richard Keys has sent shockwaves through English football.
Despite registering 10 goals and five assists in the Premier League this season, Foden’s campaign has felt strangely fragmented. The 25-year-old midfielder, who not long ago delivered a breathtaking 19-goal league season to fire City to an unprecedented fourth consecutive title, is suddenly drifting in and out of the starting XI.
In City’s last five league matches, Foden has started just once. His latest appearance? A fleeting three-minute cameo in a tense 2-1 victory over Newcastle — hardly the stage time expected of a six-time Premier League winner in his prime.
And here’s the statistic that truly stings: Foden hasn’t scored in any competition since December, when he netted against Crystal Palace — his fourth goal in six games at the time. That purple patch now feels like a distant memory.
So what’s going on?
Competition is fierce. Manchester City’s midfield is stacked, and academy graduate Nico O’Reilly has been making serious waves in an advanced role. Guardiola has options — and right now, Foden isn’t at the top of the list.
But this doesn’t feel purely tactical.
Last season was already turbulent. During City’s rare trophyless 2024/25 campaign, Foden admitted publicly that he had “a lot of things going on off the pitch mentally.” He also revealed struggles with an ankle injury and described feeling “mentally fatigued” after a draining year.
Now, former Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys has added fuel to the fire with a claim that’s impossible to ignore.
Writing in his personal blog, Keys suggested he has been “told” that Foden struggles with the intense demands of being an elite, top-end footballer. Not physically. Not tactically. But psychologically.
“Do you remember Guardiola passing his problems off as ‘illness’ last season?” Keys questioned. “What’s the illness I wonder? I’m told Foden struggles with the demands of being a top end footballer.”
It’s a statement that raises more questions than answers.
There’s no confirmed injury. Foden is consistently fit enough to make the bench. Yet the explosive brilliance that once defined him — the fearless dribbles, the ruthless finishing, the big-game swagger — has flickered.
Keys was quick to stress sympathy if the claims are true, expressing hope that Foden can “conquer” whatever challenge he may be facing.
And perhaps that’s the real story here.
Elite footballers operate under crushing pressure: relentless schedules, global scrutiny, World Cup expectations, social media noise, and the impossible demand to deliver perfection every week. Foden, once hailed as the future face of English football, carries enormous weight on his shoulders — for club and country.
With the World Cup looming, England fans are watching closely. A fully firing Foden could be the difference between heartbreak and glory. But an unsettled one? That’s another story.
Manchester City currently sit five points behind Arsenal, albeit with a game in hand, and return to action this Saturday against Leeds United. The spotlight will once again fall on Guardiola’s team selection — and whether Foden plays more than just a symbolic role.
SPORTbible has reached out to both Manchester City and Foden’s representatives for comment, but as of now, there has been no official response.
Until then, speculation swirls.
Is this simply a dip in form?
A tactical reshuffle?
Or something deeper unfolding behind closed doors at the Etihad?
One thing is certain: when a player of Phil Foden’s caliber begins to fade from center stage, the football world notices.
And this story feels far from over.
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