Phil Foden considering Manchester City exit amid frustrations over bit-part role | OneFootball

Manchester City forward Phil Foden is considering a summer exit if his contract situation does not reach a resolution, as per a new report.

The 25-year-old is approaching the final year of his current deal at the Etihad Stadium and despite making an impressive start to the season, Foden has struggled for minutes in recent months.

City won their first trophy in two seasons by seeing off Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley last week and Foden only came on in injury time to help see the victory out.

More concerningly, Foden was an unused substitute in each leg of Manchester City’s 5-1 aggregate defeat to Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie, underscoring where he ranks in Pep Guardiola‘s pecking order in attack as things stand.

Foden’s Man City season in numbers

Foden has amassed 2,700 minutes across 41 outings in all competitions for his boyhood club this season, averaging to just over 65 minutes per game – in what is a telling reflection of his season trajectory.

The Stockport-born forward endured an injury that delayed his start to the season but after scoring on his first start of the campaign – in a 3-0 Premier League win over Manchester United in September 2025 – he went from strength to strength and played regularly into January.

However, the January arrival of Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth and the form shown by Omar Marmoush since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations have limited starting opportunities for Foden in 2026, though the Manchester City academy graduate has also looked far from his best when given a chance in recent months.

Nico O’Reilly‘s move from left-back to midfield – an experiment that is certainly paying off for City and Guardiola – has also increased competition for places in attack alongside Erling Haaland, with Semenyo a near-guaranteed starter since joining in January as well.

Contract stand-off and a crucial few months ahead

Manchester City executives, led by director of football Hugo Viana, are understood to have wanted to observe Foden’s form this season – in the backdrop of a disappointing 2024-25 campaign for the Englishman – before offering the attacker a new deal.

Foden’s current contract runs till 2027 but having barely kicked a ball in recent months, there are doubts over the six-time Premier League winner’s future at the Etihad Stadium as Viana and co progress Guardiola’s squad rebuild this summer.

City are not short of options in attack and as reported by journalist Pete O’Rourke, Foden is open to moving abroad if his contract situation does not reach a resolution this summer and if he remains on the sidelines of the starting XI.

Manchester City fans will be gutted to see another one of their own leave the club but Foden needs to win his spot back in Guardiola’s lineup and do his talking on the pitch if he wants improved terms and a long-term contract at the Etihad Stadium.