Phil Foden claims he isn't Man City's Kevin De Bruyne replacement as struggling homegrown star reveals ambition to reach Player of the Year levels again after disappointing season

Foden's form has taken an incredible nosedive in the last 12 months, having previously been named the Player of the Year in 2024 and winning six league titles with City. His game time under Pep Guardiola was limited last term, but now that talisman De Bruyne has departed for Napoli, there have been calls for the 25-year-old to step up and replace the Belgian.

The England international has dismissed talk of being the former club captain's replacement, but has vowed to City fans that he will return to his best form this season. He said: "I am not sure where the manager sees me this year, I can play in different positions but we all know my position is the insides, in the pockets, so let us see what happens. 

"I am not here to replicate what Kev did because we all know how good he was and what he did for the club. It is about trying my best, getting to the level where I won Player of the Year, I want to get back to that. You can only train and get back to it, that is what I am trying to do."

Foden will need to find a massive improvement in his game this season if he is to earn back the trust of Guardiola. Last season, his contributions in the final third dropped off significantly, notching just 20 goal contributions in all competitions compared to his 40 the year before.

City's pre-season preparations are set to get underway this week, following their involvement in the Club World Cup that ran into July. They face Palermo on Saturday before travelling to Wolves the week after to open their 2025-26 Premier League campaign.