Adrian Durham believes Phil Foden should join Coventry City this summer despite agreeing a new contract with Manchester City.
eSPORTY understands that the England international is set to sign a new deal with his boyhood club.
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Foden has two years left on his current deal at the Etihad Stadium; that, coupled with his struggles to play regularly this season, led to speculation over his future.
Instead, he’s going to agree a four-year deal to remain as a one-club man as he closes in on 400 senior appearances for the club despite being just 25 years old.
However, after one good spell in the middle of this season, the attacking midfielder has been well below par once again.
He has only started three of the last 13 Premier League matches, failing to get off the bench against Liverpool, Leeds United and Burnley.
And on the latest edition of Fiery Fridays, Durham called for Foden to turn his back on City and join newly-promoted Coventry.
He began: “So, what is the next step for Phil Foden?
“The next step isn’t signing a new contract at Manchester City for more of the same.
“Rayan Cherki is there. He isn’t going to give up his place to you easily. There are wingers there who are better than you: Antoine Semenyo and Jeremy Doku are not going to give up their places easily.
“So, Phil Foden is a sub at best. So, I do not understand why he has signed a new contract.
“What he should have done this summer, and maybe, this might actually happen – I might be proved wrong here, I doubt it, but he should have sought a move to Coventry.
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“Now, he might still go on loan. But go to Coventry City, be an absolute star, rip it up, keep them in the Premier League or take them to unbelievable heights in their first year back in the Premier League.
“And while you are there, learn everything you need to know to be a top footballer at the top level for a long time from Frank Lampard.
“In the meantime, congratulations Phil Foden, you’ve had a great career, but it has fizzled out a bit now.”
Back in the big time
After winning the Championship, Coventry are back in the Premier League and plans for the summer transfer window are in full swing.
With Lampard as manager, the Sky Blues have already secured the signing of Frank Onyeka, who was on loan from Brentford.
Ross Barkley and Leon King have been linked as well, but a move for Foden even on loan would be a standout transfer.
Career revival
Durham’s claim on Foden followed host Angelina Kelly on a previous episode of Fiery Fridays calling for the 25-year-old to leave the Etihad.
She said: “My hot take is that Phil Foden should leave Manchester City in the summer.
“He shouldn’t be in the England squad for this summer’s World Cup.”
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“Something needs to change and I was listening to what former England and Manchester City full-back Danny Mills on eSPORTY’s Sunday Edition last week and it got me thinking.
“He said: ‘Manchester City are so unique in the way they play and Phil works on that every day. He goes into an England team and they play nothing like Manchester City.’
“Therefore he gets lost at times and he doesn’t maximise his potential.”
“He’s not the only player that has to change their style when going from club to country and that is not a valid excuse in my opinion.”
“But what if this is completely accurate and he does struggle to adapt because of how he plays at Manchester City?”
“So if Phil Foden wants to achieve his potential for his country he has to go to a different club and learn a new way of playing.”
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England chances in trouble
With the 2026 World Cup fast approaching, Foden is facing the prospect of missing out on being selected by Thomas Tuchel.
In his favoured no.10 role, there is Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers, Jude Bellingham and Eberechi Eze all competing for a spot.
He was also deployed as false nine during the March international break and struggled.
And eSPORTY’s Chief Football Correspondent Alex Crook provided a withering assessment of Foden’s form.
In an exclusive column after the FA Cup semi-final win over Southampton, he said: “When Thomas Tuchel names his squad for the upcoming World Cup there is no guarantee Foden’s name will be listed.
“On current form Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers and even Morgan Gibbs-White should all be ahead of Foden in the pecking order for that hotly-contested number ten position.
“Many would argue he would be incredibly lucky to make the cut, although Tuchel did start him in both of last month’s warm up matches against Uruguay and Japan.
“On both occasions he was taken off before the hour, meaning City’s hard-fought 2-1 win, keeping alive their dream of a cup double and potential domestic clean sweep, brought up an unwanted Wembley hat-trick.”
