Kalvin Phillips deal suggests Man City's Phil Foden plan might have been delayed

Manchester City look set to secure their second marquee signing of the summer with Kalvin Phillips close to sealing a move to the Premier League champions.

Pep Guardiola was always after a replacement for Fernandinho upon his return to his native Brazil, but while the seemingly imminent capture of the England star is exciting, it’s also eyebrow-raising. Not many believe Rodri will get dropped quickly after a stellar season and Phillips will likely have been guaranteed game time upon a transfer agreement.

This means there's every possibility that Guardiola may occasionally opt to name two holding midfielders in his line-ups going forward - a far cry from his thinking in the 2021 Champions League final. And with Kevin De Bruyne going nowhere, it means there’s little room for anyone else in the midfield.

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The knock-on effect could be huge, but the player this could impact most is Phil Foden. There had been rumours that the youngster would be dropping back into midfield to help out should Bernardo Silva depart.

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The Portugal international now looks set to stay at the Etihad despite links with Barcelona, and the arrival of Phillips may limit Foden’s opportunities to drop back. The 22-year-old came through the City ranks as a central midfielder but has been predominantly used as a winger for club and country.

He’s done a sterling job in attacking positions but they are not his true forte. He played just eight of his 45 games last season as a central midfielder but got five of his 11 assists while playing there.

The chance to return to his boyhood position may have perked the ears