F365's first loser: Phil Foden and a 'goal' flashing yellow

Those who were responsible for learning five things through the Manchester City Community Shield defeated Chelsea in August and have almost all written:Phil Foden"Next to the 1) on their laptops. Most likened Chelsea's strangely pedestrian midfielder, Jorginho, who was chased but was later lost by City in the transfer period. Here is proof that in fact, City did not need an expensive signature of Napoli; they had their boy.

"It's an exceptional talent. Let's hope that he plays quite often. If he does, he will also be in the England team, "wrote Jason Burt in the The telegraph of the day. Those who went further and suggested that City's failure to sign a central midfielder would mean many opportunities for the 18-year-old, early-onset youth to be guilty of being naive – City is coming to win the Premier League with a record style and all these players stay at the club. Not only did they stay, but it was already clear in August that Bernardo Silva was now an exceptional player. It would seem that Pep Guardiola already has a ready-made substitute for the damn Kevin de Bruyne, and that it was not Andres Iniesta, of Stockport.

It is also important to remember that Guardiola owes nothing to England or its young people. It's not his job to help England, although his work with Kyle Walker, John Stones and Raheem Sterling makes it a welcome addition. His term starts and ends in Manchester City. But part of this mandate is to protect the club's badets and it is clear that Foden – whether its future belongs to City or not – is an extremely valuable badet. And this is absolutely not the right time to frustrate this badet.

This is a time when the manager of England welcomes youth like no other. And a moment when Foden is watching what is happening on the greenest pitch in Dortmund for Jadon Sancho, who has played almost three times more football this season than his counterpart at City Academy. He earned him caps from England and could well force Christian Pulisic to these shores. Guardiola probably urges Foden to be patient, but there is a huge flashing "yellow" in Germany that can be seen from England.

"We'll do our best because Phil is ready," Guardiola said in September. On Monday, he was confronted with the press before Tuesday's clashes in Lyon and repeated: "I said from the start that he was ready, absolutely ready." And yet, when it was necessary to write a team from the City deprived of several midfielders, Guardiola hesitated. the name of his "gift" and instead chose to play Raheem Sterling out of position. "I chose another player," Guardiola said. Ouch. But if not now, when?

The boss of Manchester City has no obligation to play against Foden – and certainly not in front of Brahim Diaz because of his nationality – but he has an obligation to his club not to lose another excellent young player. Until now, the long-term contract was not signed, it was probably not the moment to "decide for another player". It was probably the moment to decide for Phil Foden.

Sarah Winterburn