Phil Foden has spent his offseason engaging in various activities, from visiting Welsh funfairs and attending Formula One races to fishing and undertaking extra training sessions, as he prepares for the new season with Manchester City. The midfielder has spoken about feeling a mental clarity after what he described as an average previous season.
Mancity were given a day off on Thursday, and Foden headed to Towyn, a small seaside resort on the North Wales coast. Insiders suggest that the departure of Pep Guardiola, after a decade with the club, might ultimately benefit Foden.
New manager Enzo Maresca has reportedly noticed a positive shift in Foden's demeanor and performance in training. "You can see he's sharp, he's good," Maresca stated. "Since day one, he looks very, very good. People inside the building are saying to me that compared to last year or the last two years, he's a completely different player in terms of mood, what he's showing during sessions, and this is what we want."
Foden, who signed a new four-year contract last month, acknowledged that the past two seasons have fallen below expectations, despite a strong spell of performances before Christmas last season. He has expressed a desire to establish himself in one position rather than frequently switching roles. Maresca's tactical setup in recent weeks suggests a potential shift in competition for places, possibly involving Rayan Cherki.
"I've been at the club for so long, I'm one of the longest here so this season I have to be one of the leaders, one of the captains," Foden said. He was given the captain's armband during the club's pre-season tour of Asia before the arrival of Ruben Dias from post-World Cup holidays. Maresca plans to finalize a four-man captaincy team by the end of the transfer window, with an English player, such as Marc Guehi, being a desired inclusion.
While Foden showed encouraging signs in the Community Shield match against Arsenal, including an instance where he allowed Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly to get past him, leading to their first goal, the club seeks greater impact from him on matchdays. Maresca acknowledged Foden played well in that match but expressed a desire for more consistent contributions.
Foden's career statistics show potential for significant growth. At 26, he is 310 appearances behind Alan Oakes' record of 680 appearances for the club. He also has the opportunity to climb the club's all-time top scorers list and approach Kevin De Bruyne's assist record of 176, currently standing at 68 assists.
Despite his high profile, Foden is described as a homebird, returning to his hometown of Stockport shortly after the team's arrival from South Korea. "Phil is from the academy, from the house," Maresca commented. "So it's nice for everyone to see him getting better and better."