Audacious Euro giant bid for Phil Foden leaked, as triple Man City exit accelerates

In-form England star Phil Foden was the subject of an offer from one of Italy’s biggest clubs while he was still in the Manchester City academy, it has been revealed.

Pep Guardiola and Man City have nurtured Foden since he first broke into the club’s senior squad at the age of 17. The attacking midfielder has always been important to City, but this season he has really taken his game to the next level.

Ahead of City’s home clash against Luton Town on Saturday, Foden’s record stands at a hugely impressive 22 goals and 10 assists from 45 games.

Foden is City’s second-top scorer behind Erling Haaland, while he is also hoping to win the PFA Player of the Year award.

But the 23-year-old’s career could have been very different. Former City academy coach Darren Bowman has discussed Foden during an interview with talkSPORT.

Bowman began by heaping praise on Foden and followed that up by revealing Inter Milan incredibly made an approach to sign him.

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“There were tournaments that we took him to, just for the experience where he couldn’t play but we wanted to get him used to travelling and different environments,” he said.

“We took him to one tournament and he wasn’t there to play, so he was just having a kickabout at half time.

Phil Foden had ‘star presence’ at young age – coach

“And everybody there was talking about this kid that they saw at half time and why he wasn’t playing.  That shows you the type of star presence he had.”

Bowman added: “Another tournament he did play, and we got an offer from Inter Milan to buy him. We were in Italy and they were asking, ‘How much do you want?’

“There’s always interest and offers for players like that. You have to make sure you retain your best talent and keep them on the pathway.

“For someone like Phil, he was never going to leave. He’s a City fan, he was a City ballboy, he’s City through and through and he’s not interested in any other club.

“Phil was well known throughout the UK and Europe because of his level but there was no way he was going to leave the club or the club were ever going to let him leave.”

While Foden looks set to stay at the Etihad and become a City legend, three top-class stars are being linked with exits.

Portuguese ace Joao Felix has talked up the possibility of compatriot Bernardo Silva moving to Barcelona this summer. Felix even claimed that he has ‘convinced’ Silva to make the switch.

Erling Haaland, meanwhile, reportedly wants a release clause that Real Madrid can realistically match to be included in his new City contract.

Kevin De Bruyne could follow those two players out of City, too. On Thursday, sources confirmed to TEAMtalk that Saudi chiefs are gunning to sign the Belgian playmaker this summer in a deal worth over £100million.

Those players leaving City would give the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool an even better chance of winning the Premier League title next season.

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