Not even a wild transfer fee should tempt Manchester City to part with one player, according to Pep Guardiola
Enzo Maresca and Pep Guardiola
It remains to be seen if Enzo Maresca will listen to Pep Guardiola's advice(Image: Getty Images)
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Pep Guardiola has already made it clear to Enzo Maresca that he cannot afford to sell Phil Foden for any price.
Guardiola will step down as Manchester City manager after Sunday's final Premier League game of the season against Aston Villa and take a break from coaching. He is set to be replaced by former City assistant boss Enzo Maresca.
Aside from winning 20 trophies during a glittering decade of success, Guardiola's legacy will include bringing through an array of talented youngsters, including Foden. Guardiola earmarked the homegrown playmaker as a star of the future well before he had established himself in the first team, seeing him as the heir to City great David Silva. He went as far as saying he wouldn't sell the then-teenager for €500million (£430million).
Speaking in the book 'Pep's City: The Making of a Superteam', Guardiola said: "We didn't give Foden a new contract by accident. He is the only player that can’t be sold under any circumstances, the only one. Not even for 500m euros.
"Phil's going nowhere, Phil IS City. We won't be signing anyone else for that position. When David Silva leaves, we know exactly who our new magician will be."
Guardiola took to Foden early in reign, predicting that he would be "one of the Premier League's best." He said: "One thing is clear, Foden has a place in City’s first team. I'd be interested to see if a different manager would have given him his chance to develop or loaned him out. I don't like leaving him out of certain games but must think of the whole squad. Phil understands that."
Pep Guardiola and Phil Foden
Guardiola has always rated Phil Foden(Image: Nick Potts/PA Wire)
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The respect is clearly reciprocated. Speaking after last weekend's FA Cup final, Foden was asked about his manager's future. He said: "To play with him now for so many years has been a blessing. He's certainly helped my game.
"I'm really happy that he's still here at the moment and let's see what happens at the end of the season. Hopefully, he can be here next season."
Since then, it has been confirmed that Guardiola won't be at the club next season. It has been a tough week for Foden, who was a notable omission from Thomas Tuchel's England World Cup squad.
Foden is someone Tuchel has repeatedly praised and was the only England player to start both of March's friendlies, playing as a number 10 in one match and a false nine in the other. But the 25-year-old failed to make an impact and ultimately missed out on a place following a stop-start season.
Tuchel said: "Phil was excellent in camp for us. He was not only excellent in training, but also off training. He was open, he was in good spirits.
"And it hurt me a lot, actually, to call him and to tell him this decision. I could see in his reaction how much it affects him, how much it would have meant for him to come."
Foden will look to put his disappointment to one side when the Guardiola reign concludes against Aston Villa on Sunday before trying to prove himself to Maresca.