Phil Foden has made eight substitute Premier League appearances for Manchester City this season but would he be better off at Everton?
There is a debate to be had about Phil Foden.
Is the 18-year-old better off learning his trade behind the scenes at Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, working alongside David Silva, Kevin de Bruyne and co in training and making the odd cameo appearance for the first team?
Or would he benefit more from diving into the deep end a la Jadon Sancho, who is now a star of the Bundesliga and a newly-capped England international?
Speaking on the BBC’s Monday Night Club (10 December, 6pm), Chris Sutton has suggested that Foden should look to follow in the footsteps of his former City team-mate Sancho – and believes that Everton is one club that should offer the teenager an opportunity.
“Does he need to go out on loan? Sancho is the good example, going to the Bundesliga, getting game time and now he’s in Gareth Southgate’s plans. I think Foden is good enough to warrant a starting place in most Premier League sides, so therefore he needs to get that experience,” Sutton said.
“And it doesn’t look like he’s going to get that at City with those players in front of him. How’s it going to benefit him if he’s staying at City and not going to play?
“Everton? He might get into Everton’s team.”
Marco Silva has certainly brought a free-flowing attacking style to Everton since taking over from the arch-pragmatist Sam Allardyce with technically gifted players like Andre Gomes, Richarlison and Bernard going from strength to strength.
So Foden, who has played just 91 minutes of Premier League football across eight substitute appearances this season, would perhaps find game time far easier to come by during a loan spell at Everton.
Foden signed a new six-year contract with Manchester City on Monday.
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