Real Madrid prepare ‘world-record bid’ for Man City star in ‘biggest transfer saga in history’ – report | OneFootball

La Liga giants Real Madrid are considering a world-record bid for Manchester City star Phil Foden, according to reports.

Foden has registered 10 goals and four assists in 34 appearances across all competitions this season, but is without a goal contribution in any of his previous 13 matches.

Phil Foden to Real Madrid: What to know

Phil Foden’s form dip at Manchester City

The 25-year-old enjoyed a remarkable run of form towards the end of 2025, with half of this season’s goal involvements coming between November 29 and December 14.

After a bitterly disappointing 2024/25 campaign, Foden looked back to his best during that period, but his form has since taken a serious nosedive.

His poor performances have coincided with Manchester City’s drop-off in the Premier League. They currently trail leaders Arsenal by six points and have won just one of their last six top-flight matches, drawing four times.

Despite Foden’s recent dip in form, he is still expected to go to the World Cup with England this summer, though his place in Thomas Tuchel’s starting XI is far from certain.

Foden will surely hit another strong run of form in the run-in as City compete in the Premier League, Champions League and the Carabao Cup final.

While the England star’s current focus is on finishing the season strongly, he could be the subject of a world-record transfer bid from Real Madrid in the summer transfer window.

Real Madrid prepare world-record bid for Phil Foden

According to ‘football transfer specialist’ Ekrem Konur, writing for Sports Boom, fans should be ‘braced for the biggest transfer saga in football history’ as Real Madrid target Phil Foden.

Man City view Foden as ‘untouchable’ amid interest from Los Blancos and Paris Saint-Germain, and the player must now choose between loyalty and a move to one of Europe’s most glamorous clubs.

It will be ‘the most defining summer of his professional career’ as Europe’s elite ‘prepare historic, world-record bids’, Konur claims.

Pep Guardiola’s side are desperate to keep hold of their academy graduate and will fend off interest from Madrid by offering him a ‘contract for life’ worth at least £400,000 per week.

City hope to sit down and agree a new long-term deal with Foden before the end of the season, with his current contract set to expire in 2027.

If negotiations over an exit were to take place, it is claimed that City’s initial asking price would be ‘between €180million and €200million’ (£156m-£173.7m).

This would apparently ‘shatter the existing world transfer record’…if we ignore Neymar’s £200m move to PSG in 2017.

Jude Bellingham key to Real Madrid’s Foden pursuit

Madrid’s ‘trump card’ in convincing Foden is his ‘close friendship’ with Jude Bellingham, who would act as an ‘informal ambassador’ to help get the deal over the line.

The Spanish giants are also seen as having an advantage over PSG in their pursuit of a ‘new Galactico’, as Foden is keen to remain in an English environment, with both Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold based in Madrid.

That said, PSG are reportedly ‘prepared to match any financial package’.

The report adds that Foden could be tempted by the prospect of becoming the ‘New King of Madrid’, even if a transfer would cause ‘significant backlash’.

Should Guardiola leave the Etihad this summer, that could be the tipping point in Madrid’s favour, with Los Blancos also keeping tabs on Chelsea playmaker Enzo Fernandez.

With Foden’s contract expiring in less than 18 months, his future is an intriguing topic, but an agreement on a new long-term deal at City still appears the most likely outcome.