Man City transfer news: Phil Foden ‘turned to leading agent’ before making important contract decision

Phil Foden has agreed in principle to put pen to paper on a new long-term contract at Manchester City, according to a report.

Speculation over the 25-year-old’s future has grown in recent months due to a concerning dip in form and the fact that his initial contract is set to expire in June 2027.

However, The Athletic reports that an agreement over a new four-year deal to keep Foden at the Etihad Stadium until the summer of 2030 has been reached, which includes an option to extend by a further 12 months.

Formalities still need to be completed before the academy star officially signs his new contract in due course, but both parties are said to have expressed their desire to continue together.

It is claimed that Foden has enlisted top agent Rafaela Pimenta to navigate this important phase of his career, with the Brazilian intermediary taking full charge of all negotiations with the 10-time English champions.

Pimenta is an established football agent whose most prominent clients include Erling Haaland, fellow Man City player Sverre Nypan, Manchester United’s Matthijs de Ligt, Monaco’s Paul Pogba and Liverpool head coach Arne Slot.

Man City show faith in Foden after challenging period

Foden turns 26 at the end of this month, but he has already won a staggering 19 trophies as a Man City player since emerging from the club’s academy and making his professional debut for his boyhood club almost a decade ago.

The six-time Premier League winner has also lifted five EFL Cups, two FA Cups and was part of the historic treble-winning squad that helped the club win a first ever Champions League trophy in 2022-23.

Foden has recorded 110 goals and 66 assists in 365 appearances for Man City across all competitions and is a real fans’ favourite at the Etihad, but the versatile midfielder has endured a difficult period in his career in recent seasons.

After being named the 2023-24 PFA and Premier League Player of the Year, Foden has since experienced an alarming drop-off in form and has also experienced off-field issues that have held back his on-field performances.

Foden has chipped in with 10 goals and five assists in 46 games for City this season, but he has failed to find the net since mid-December and has lost his regular starting spot in Pep Guardiola’s team, starting just one Premier League game since the beginning of March.

Despite this, Man City still recognise Foden’s qualities not just on the pitch, but as a club ambassador – a homegrown talent developed into a multiple title winner under Guardiola – and they have been supportive in their bid to help the England international return to his best form.

This new deal highlights City's conviction that Foden can re-establish himself as an integral first-team player, and with his peak years approaching, the challenge for the playmaker is to now deliver on the immense trust the club has placed in him.