Man City want to sign “world-class” £108m star

Manchester City can still finish the 2024/25 season holding the FA Cup aloft, but it’s safe to say this campaign has been an eye-opener for Pep Guardiola and Co.

Indeed, the reigning Premier League champions find themselves all the way down in an unsatisfactory fifth in the league standings, with a mammoth 22-point gap opening up between the lacklustre Citizens and Arne Slot’s seriously impressive Liverpool at the top of the tree.

Therefore, it isn’t out of the question this summer that Guardiola will rip up what was once successful at the Etihad in order to bring in some exciting new blood, with Phil Foden in danger of dropping out of the Spaniard’s first-team plans if he doesn’t improve.

The numbers behind Foden’s poor form at Man City

Out with the old and in with the new could well be the mantra at City this summer with the likes of Kevin De Bruyne perhaps moving on after such a disorienting season is over and done with.

Foden is unlikely to up and leave like his Belgian teammate, but the 24-year-old is still a shadow of the skilful talent he was just last campaign when he was crowned PFA Player of the Year as Guardiola’s men romped home to yet another top-flight triumph.

Critiqued on the international stage by Roy Keane for some uninspiring showings donning England white, Foden has failed to pick up a goal or assist in Premier League action since Chelsea away in January, leading to the agile midfielder having to make do with spots on the substitute bench as of late.

While he’s not impressed on the international stage, he also needs to do more at club level. Last term the attacking midfielder found the net 27 times but in 2024/25, he’s only scored ten times.

Thus, his minutes could deplete further at City, particularly if they complete a mega-money transfer in the summer.

Man City City “want to sign” big Foden upgrade

A few tweaks here and there to the first team personnel could inspire City to get back to their best down the line, especially if they are able to sign their number one target this summer.

As per a report by Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, the bruised outfit “want to sign” Bayer Leverkusen superstar Florian Wirtz when the window reopens.

The Bundesliga side are preparing to offer Wirtz a new deal that would keep him at the club until 2028 but it will include a release clause allowing club’s to him out of that deal in a year’s time.

It should be seen as a priority on City’s end to try and snap up the services of the explosive German, with sumputous strikes such as the one below helping Leverkusen lift the Bundesliga title proudly last season.

He could well steer his new employers back to the very summit of the Premier League, therefore, but it will come at a significant cost, with Plettenberg further revealing that Xabi Alonso’s men would only consider parting ways with their electric ace if an offer around the £108m mark was made.

Away from his side being crowned champions last term, Wirtz has also torn open top-flight defences in 2024/25, with the German up to a ridiculous 27 goals and assists in all competitions next to Foden’s inferior 15.

Wirtz vs Foden: Key league stats in 2024/25
Stat	Wirtz	Foden
Games played	25	25
Goals	9	7
Assists	10	2
Big chances created	15	7
Successful dribbles per 90	2.9	0.5
Ground duels won per 90	5.4	2.3
Key passes per 90	1.9	1.7
Stats by Sofascore

His continued ridiculous performances for Leverkusen has even seen him branded as “world class” by 1. FC Köln boss Gerhard Struber, with Wirtz’s swagger and skill on the ball making him a perfect replacement for a declining Foden, considering he can operate either as a number ten or as a winger, much like this counterpart.

City do find themselves at a crossroads at this moment in time with some uncomfortable decisions having to be made soon over first-team stalwarts, leading to Foden being ditched potentially for Wirtz to shine.