Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden enters the 2026 pre-season in Hong Kong seeking a fresh start after a difficult period that included missing the World Cup squad. Reunited with new manager Enzo Maresca, Foden is fully fit and ready to help the club chase major trophies again.
Arrival in Hong Kong and the Search for a Fresh Start
Phil Foden stepped onto a floating football pitch in Victoria Harbour to help launch Manchester City’s new away kit alongside teammates Abdukodir Khusanov and Ryan McAidoo during the club’s East Asian pre-season tour. The event drew 1,500 fans, with Foden’s name called the loudest by the gathered supporters. When Khusanov was asked for his thoughts on the shirt, he said only, in his blunt way, “very good”.
Following his status as Premier League Player of the Year in 2024, Foden endured a turbulent stretch marked by an ankle injury and off-field issues. Those difficulties culminated in a quiet summer after Thomas Tuchel left him out of the England squad for the World Cup—a tournament the midfielder had expected to make. Tuchel called Foden to let him know he would not be part of his plans for the summer.
Reflecting on the dip in his form, Foden pointed to the unpredictable nature of top-flight competition when he noted that he was not really sure, supposing it was just football, and that he did not know and could not really explain it as it just happens, noting that rhythm and performance sometimes drop and sometimes are there for whatever reason. It was a quiet summer for Foden, who went on holiday with his family and then spent time fishing in France, where fish in his regular local lake were spawning in their thousands, providing plenty of action.
Rebuilding Under New Manager Enzo Maresca
The transition at Manchester City involves more than just a new four-year contract for Foden; it marks the arrival of Enzo Maresca as manager following Pep Guardiola’s departure. Amid the disappointment of missing out on international duty, Foden received a timely check-in from his incoming club boss, noting it was a difficult first week or two before he was enjoying the holidays.
Foden stated that Maresca reached out shortly after to check if everything was okay, which was very kind of him and demonstrated his character and the person he is, adding that the manager cares about everyone and wants to maintain a good relationship with the team.
Maresca has made it clear that the midfielder remains central to his plans for the squad. Ahead of City’s pre-season friendly against Inter Milan, the manager stressed that his primary goal is ensuring the player enjoys his football again, stating it is his “duty” to help him get back to his best.
Maresca emphasized that, above all else, being happy and enjoying football is the most important thing, noting that if the player feels good, he can help the team win titles.
Balancing Versatility and Positions on the Pitch
Last season’s struggles were compounded by positional fluidity after a season of two halves where the first half was really good and he performed quite well, while in the second half he couldn’t really get going and didn’t get a lot of game time. Foden acknowledged that changing positions frequently made it difficult to maintain the performance of one position, though people who were playing in front of him were performing very well as well.
While Guardiola always wanted him closer to the goal, Foden played deep in midfield at times last season, noting that he actually loved it and felt he was able to showcase a different side to his game. Despite that tactical flexibility, he ultimately wants to influence matches in advanced scoring positions where he can replicate the form that powered City’s fourth Premier League title in a row in 2023-24, which also included scoring six goals in four Premier League games and a fine double against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League near the end of 2025.
Championship Ambitions for the Upcoming Campaign
Watching the Three Lions reach the semi-finals of the tournament before losing 2-1 to Argentina proved testing from afar. Foden admitted that it was hard watching them walk out for the national anthem before games, but he returned fully fit after struggling last season with a combination of off-field issues and an ankle injury.
Observers around City’s very first training sessions note that Foden, McAidoo, and Antoine Semenyo look particularly sharp. On City’s first night in town, Foden took a walk down to the Bruce Lee statue in TsimSha Tsui and was mobbed by fans. Even with the departure of the experience and know-how of Guardiola, captain Bernardo Silva, and England defender John Stones, Foden feels City can achieve “amazing things” next season and stated that the team can win everything, though he acknowledged that it is obviously difficult while still boasting an unbelievable team as Maresca takes charge for the first time in Saturday’s friendly against Inter Milan in Hong Kong.
