Foden: I´m learning from Silva and Kompany

Phil Foden said his Manchester City career so far has been “a dream” as he paid tribute to the guidance senior players like David Silva and Vincent Kompany have given him this season.

The 18-year-old midfielder has emerged as one of the club’s brightest youth products for years, enjoying double the number of Premier League appearances he made in 2017-18 and regularly featuring in Pep Guardiola’s starting line-up in cup competitions.

Foden’s rise to prominence has been rapid but he is keeping himself grounded with the help of City’s experienced old heads, who have been on hand with words of wisdom while he hones his game.

“It’s a dream,” Foden told the Daily Mail. “I’ve been a City fan from young and I’ve watched these players growing up as well. To play with them and see what they do every day, to learn off them – it’s special. I just enjoy it every day, being there and learning from them.

“David is always giving me advice, it’s one little thing. He says just to know your time on the ball and things like that. He will always help you out.

“He’ll say ‘Oh, you could have set the ball there instead of turning’. It’s just listening to him. Everyone is good with that; Vincent Kompany is the same.

“I liked to watch Spanish teams at home when I was younger. I don’t try to copy anyone but I like to learn from people.”

Winning mentality pic.twitter.com/v0bsm7p99J

— Phil Foden (@PhilFoden) February 27, 2019

With the likes of Silva, Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne ahead of him in the pecking order of midfielders at City, Foden could be forgiven for looking enviously at the likes of Jadon Sancho, who left the club at 17 and is playing regular first-team football for Borussia Dortmund.

But the Stockport-born teenager, who will be a key player for England Under-21s at the European Championship in June, is confident he can make his mark at the Etihad Stadium.

“Hopefully I bring something different to the team but there is a lot of quality in every position,” said Foden.

“People say you’re a bit different and it’s a good thing so I’m just trying to help the team and do well for them. I’ve been working in the gym quite hard, just little things, not too much.

“You don’t need to be too big as a footballer, you just need that little bit on you.”