Man City: Euro giants ‘sure’ they want to sign Foden in sensational transfer as Haaland ‘alternative’

Joe Williams
Man City star Phil Foden
Phil Foden has been linked with a move to Real Madrid.

Real Madrid are keen on signing Phil Foden if they fail to sign his Man City team-mate Erling Haaland, according to reports in Spain.

The England international has been in some incredible form in recent weeks with seven goals in his last seven matches in all competitions for the Citizens.

Foden has four man-of-the-match awards to show in those seven matches, helping Pep Guardiola’s side move closer to Liverpool at the top of the Premier League.

His latest two goals came as Man City came from one goal down to beat Man Utd 3-1 in the Manchester derby on Sunday, including a stunning strike from the edge of the box to equalise.

There have been multiple rumours over the past few months about Man City team-mate Haaland and a potential move to Real Madrid – but now that speculation has also moved onto Foden.

Spanish publication Defensa Central claims that Real Madrid scouts are ‘following him closely’ as they see him as ‘a more than interesting alternative’ to Haaland despite Foden playing in a completely different position.

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Real Madrid were ‘very attentive’ to Foden’s performance for Man City in the derby with the La Liga side’s scouts ‘more and more sure that he would be a great reinforcement’.

If they don’t land him this summer then he is still “also an option for the future” with Real Madrid dreaming of bringing him to the Bernabeu with Kylian Mbappe and Endrick.

Foden has won everything with Man City and is part of Guardiola’s side looking to retain the Champions League but Guardiola claims winning the competition is getting tougher every season.

Guardiola told reporters in a press conference on Tuesday: “It’s getting better and tougher. Always I had the feeling, when I arrived in Barcelona in the first years that OK, we arrive in semi-finals.

“Now to reach the semi-finals is so difficult. The teams are better, managers are better.

“Everything is even more difficult than when I was a football player.

“But at the end, the better teams always go through. When you play two good games, you have more chance to go through.”

Guardiola, whose Man City side face Copenhagen in the second leg of their last-16 clash on Wednesday, his triumphs with the Citizens were no more special than those he achieved with a Lionel Messi-inspired Barca side in 2011 and 2013.

He added: “I would not say that. Otherwise we would undermine what we achieved in Barcelona and I would not like that.

“Every moment is every moment. Every title you win is difficult. It’s not taken for granted.”