Manchester City have been handed a major boost on the eve of their Premier League trip to Wolves with the return of Phil Foden to training.
Foden missed City’s friendly at Palermo last week with a knock to his ankle, with Pep Guardiola casting doubt over whether he would be able to make Saturday’s Premier League opener vs Wolves.
“Phil was doing really good but he had a problem with a knock on his ankle that’s why as a precaution we did it,” Guardiola said last week.
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“Phil, hopefully [will be fit vs Wolves], it depends on the problem but it’s a long week so hopefully.” And now City have been handed an update in Foden’s fitness status.
Phil Foden joins Rodri in handing Man City positive injury news
Midfielder Rodri also missed the Palermo friendly after picking up an injury at the FIFA Club World Cup, but has trained as normal this week and could be in contention to face Wolves on Saturday.
Guardiola says Rodri may not be ready to play 90 minutes yet and is not expecting the midfielder to be ‘really’ fit until September.
But there is good news regarding Phil Foden, who has been pictured back in training after the minor ankle knock that kept him out of the Palermo trip.
Foden declared himself back to his best at the Club World Cup having previously admitted to injury and off-field problems over a frustrating 2024/25 season.
Phil Foden is back but Josko Gvardiol could be a doubt vs Wolves
As well as Foden and Rodri, left-back Josko Gvardiol also missed City’s only friendly last weekend as a precaution.
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City have published a number of training galleries this week, but there has so far been no sign of Gvardiol in the build-up to the Wolves fixture.
If Gvardiol is not fit, new signing Rayan Ait-Nouri could make his domestic City debut in the Premier League against his old side, having signed from Wolves in June.
Nathan Ake is another left-back option for Pep Guardiola and Rico Lewis can also operate on the left. Gvardiol’s Croatian compatriot Mateo Kovacic is definitely out having undergone surgery this summer.