Everybody agrees. Phil Foden is a midfielder. “He can play in a lot of different positions but I think eventually he will end up playing centrally,” says Kevin De Bruyne. “Absolutely, I agree with Kevin,” concurs Pep Guardiola. “I see myself playing behind the striker in the future or one of the eights or 10s at City,” said Foden himself, just a little over a week ago, when he was presumably hoping he would play more than just 20 minutes in the two opening games of his first World Cup.
But Foden is not a midfielder yet. Not according to – [checks notes] – Kevin De Bruyne. “At this moment in time, it is maybe a little bit better for him on the wing,” his Manchester City teammate added, while discussing Foden’s development after a starring role in last month’s 6-3 derby win. De Bruyne feels Foden benefits from the greater freedom and fewer instructions that comes with playing on the flanks, allowing him to “flow into the game”. And as Guardiola says, he agrees with Kevin.
