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Phil Foden has reportedly reached an "agreement in principle" on a new Manchester City contract that would keep the England international at the Etihad Stadium past his 30th birthday.
Foden previously put pen to paper on a five-year deal in 2022 that is due to expire at the end of next season. However, The Athletic reports that an extension "should be finalized" running until 2030, with an additional option to extend through the summer of 2031.
Throughout his career, the 25-year-old had been represented by his family. A notable detail, however, is that these negotiations were handled by Rafaela Pimenta. The Brazilian lawyer oversees City teammate Erling Haaland's career, having taken over the late Mino Raiola's client roster in 2022.
Both player and club are eager to continue their partnership, so no obstacles are anticipated in getting the new deal formally signed "in due course."
Foden was spotted by Manchester City scouts at just four years old, with the club even financing a private education for the Stockport-born star. He made his senior debut at 17 in 2017 and has now accumulated over 350 first-team appearances. Having established himself as a key figure from 2020 onward, Foden has played a significant role in City's dominance of English football during that period.
However, after reaching his peak in 2023–24, Foden has struggled to maintain that level. That season, he swept England's three major individual honors—PFA Players' Player of the Year, FWA Footballer of the Year, and Premier League Player of the Season—before enduring a difficult Euro 2024 campaign with the national side.
He opened up about mental and physical struggles last May that had hindered his 2024–25 season, and the current campaign has similarly seen Foden fall short of his best.
Foden Must Find Form, Reclaim Man City Starting Job
During a four-game Premier League stretch from late November into mid-December, Foden found the net six times and chipped in with one assist. Since then, however, he has gone scoreless across all competitions and has dropped out of City's starting lineup.
Going back to a halftime substitution against Manchester United on Jan. 17, Foden has started just two of City's last 12 Premier League games. He has been an unused substitute in three of those matches and played five minutes or fewer in three others. He was also notably left on the bench for both legs of the Champions League round of 16 tie against Real Madrid.
Part of the issue seems to be that Foden is a victim of his own adaptability. During his purple patch in winter, he featured on the left, the right, and as a No. 10 across those four matches. As a result, he has been unable to nail down a consistent role in Pep Guardiola's strongest lineup given the competition around him.
With Jérémy Doku back from injury and starting on the left wing, Antoine Semenyo firmly established on the right since his January arrival, and Rayan Cherki providing creativity through the center, Foden has found himself pushed to the margins.
2026 World Cup Foden's Chance for Redemption
The March international break revealed that England boss Thomas Tuchel has yet to settle on his strongest lineup. That uncertainty could work in Foden's favor, as it means no positions will be locked up heading into the summer tournament.
In the aftermath of Euro 2024, Foden was vocal in his criticism of former manager Gareth Southgate's choice to deploy him on the left, despite having enjoyed a career-best season playing centrally for Manchester City. "The position I was put in on the left was very difficult to influence the game," he told the Manchester Evening News.
It hasn't been a standout season for Jude Bellingham or Cole Palmer either—arguably the most natural No. 10 alternatives to Foden in Tuchel's squad. Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers has arguably had the strongest campaign among the contenders, though his most recent England start came on the right flank in March. Foden started both March fixtures in a central role, which is an encouraging sign in one respect. In another, England as a collective badly underdelivered in both of those outings against Uruguay and Japan.
Nevertheless, if Foden can channel his world-class ability into a strong World Cup showing, it could serve as the career reset he needs—one that would fully vindicate Manchester City's unwavering belief in him.