London: Pep Guardiola insists there is no chance of Manchester City youngster Phil Foden being sent out on loan to gain more first-team experience.
Foden produced an eye-catching cameo in City’s 7-0 Champions League demolition of Schalke, scoring his first goal in Europe’s premier club competition in the process.
The 18-year-old midfielder has six in all competitions this season but is yet to start a Premier League game amid a squad stacked with talent in the creative midfield positions.
Nevertheless, Guardiola is unequivocal in his view that the England Under-21 international is in the best place for his development.
“The people say he doesn’t play too much. He is 18 years old and he has played a lot of minutes,” he said.
“The people say he should be on loan; Phil Foden will not be on loan. All the time he is here he will be close to me because he is an incredibly talented player.
“He is with us. Congratulations [to him], because the minutes he played he did really well.”
Working under Guardiola’s watchful eye can sometimes be a thankless task, as City wingers Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling can ascertain.
Sane’s blistering first-leg free-kick against his former club Schalke, with City 2-1 down and depleted by Nicolas Otamendi’s red card, proved to be a pivotal moment in the tie.
The Germany winger clinically dispatched the third goal in the return rout before crossing for Sterling to brilliantly score his 19th of the season on the half-volley after half-time, though they did not draw praise from their manager following a slow start.
These are the sorts of problems brow-beaten Schalke boss Domenico Tedesco looked like he would welcome with open arms.
