Manchester City star received Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham approaches before new deal | OneFootball

Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham explored the possibility of signing Phil Foden before the England international committed his future to Manchester City with a new four-year contract, as per a new report.

The 26-year-old had entered the final year of his previous deal at the Etihad Stadium, prompting a sustained period of external interest that saw some of the Premier League‘s most prominent clubs monitor whether the change in management at Manchester City could alter his long-term plans.

The arrival of Enzo Maresca as manager, combined with the central role that director of football Hugo Viana played in reassuring Foden of his importance to the club’s next era, ultimately proved decisive – with the attacker rebuffing every approach to commit to the only professional club he has ever represented.

Foden signed a new deal until 2030 with an option to extend by a further 12 months – a contract that Manchester City confirmed last week after terms in principle were understood to have been agreed as far back as May.

The revelation that three of the Premier League’s most ambitious clubs were actively exploring a move for the Stockport-born star adds significant context to what had publicly appeared to be a straightforward renewal – and underlines both the level of external competition City faced and the strength of Viana’s work in securing the outcome.

Report: Kompany led Bayern interest as Premier League trio explored shock move

According to Graeme Bailey of TEAMtalk, Bayern Munich were among the clubs monitoring Foden’s situation most closely, with City legend Vincent Kompany – now manager at the Allianz Arena – particularly keen to reunite with the England international he worked alongside at the Etihad Stadium.

Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham also explored the possibility of a deal during the period of uncertainty surrounding Foden’s previous contract, with the combination of his impending free agency and the managerial transition at City creating a window of opportunity that several ambitious clubs moved to investigate.

Bailey reports that Viana played a pivotal role in closing down that window, making clear in discussions with Foden and his representatives that he would remain one of the central figures around whom Manchester City’s next chapter would be built – a message that gave the England international the confidence to extend his stay rather than explore what was on offer elsewhere.

Foden’s decision to stay was also shaped by a difficult personal summer – having been left out of Thomas Tuchel‘s England squad for the FIFA World Cup in North America, it has been stated that he has used that disappointment as fuel heading into the new campaign, with Manchester City believing that the forward is ready to become one of the leading figures of the Maresca era.

What does Foden’s loyalty mean for Manchester City’s new era?

By retaining Foden in the face of interest from Bayern, three Premier League rivals and other leading European clubs, Manchester City have sent the clearest possible signal about the direction of the club under Viana and Maresca – a club determined to build its next era around the players already within it rather than chasing external replacements.

Maresca, who worked with Foden during the 2022-23 treble-winning campaign, has spoken warmly and specifically about his intentions for the midfielder, telling his first press conference that it is “my duty” to help Foden rediscover the form that made him Premier League Player of the Season two seasons ago – a level of personal investment from a manager that will have resonated with the player as he weighed up his options.

The fact that Foden chose to stay despite the weight of external interest, the change at the top of the dugout and the pain of a World Cup exclusion speaks as much to his own character and attachment to the club as it does to Viana’s persuasion – and it is precisely that combination of ability, loyalty and motivation that makes his renewal one of the most significant pieces of business Manchester City have done this summer, regardless of the absence of a transfer fee.