Manchester City star Phil Foden says it “would be really sad” if manager Pep Guardiola were to leave the club next year.
Having steered his side to a record fourth successive title, Guardiola raised the prospect that he will depart when his contract expires at the end of next season, saying “the reality is I am closer to leaving than staying”.
“I’ve not known any other thing apart from him, so it’ll be strange when he does go,” Foden – the newly crowned Premier League Player of the Year – told BBC Sport editor Dan Roan.
“I don’t want to think too much about it. I want to enjoy the things we’re doing now with him.”
Foden praised the Spaniard for helping improve his game, saying he “simplifies football”.
The 23-year-old has enjoyed his best season yet at the Etihad, scoring 19 Premier League goals and providing eight assists as City won a sixth title in seven seasons.
City’s triumph represented manager Guardiola’s 17th trophy since joining the club in 2016.
“I feel like there’s other managers out there who complicate it a little bit,” Foden said.
“The best advice he gave me this season was just ‘don’t try and be Phil Foden in every action’, and I feel like that advice really went a long way.
“I’ve been here for a long time now working with the manager. And I think now is the time for me to step up and try and be the man who’s going to score the goals. I knew what I was capable of doing this season, it’s so good to say that I’ve had a good season and I want to continue to play well.”
Foden’s form has led to England fans urging manager Gareth Southgate to utilise him down the middle at Euro 2024 next month, but Foden says he is happy to play in a number of positions.
“I’ve always said that I like midfield. It’s my best position,” he added.
“But I think I’ve shown this year as well that I can play in any position that the manager puts me. I’ve played off the wide left and wide right and still done a good job.”
Foden made a personal-best 35 Premier League appearances for City this season and, despite featuring less regularly in previous campaigns, he was happy to wait for his opportunity.
“I never, ever had an intention of leaving. I think I believed in what the manager was saying,” said Foden.
“I believed in the process. When I wasn’t playing, I knew there was better players in front of me. And I knew the more I grew up and the longer time that went, there’d be opportunity for me.”
City are widely expected to beat Manchester United in the FA Cup final for the second successive year this weekend, after their rivals endured their worst ever Premier League season.
But Foden – who grew up supporting City and joined the club’s academy aged eight, rejected suggestions that victory will be straightforward.
“You don’t know how much work goes in on the training pitch and how much the manager puts in,” he said.
“Viewing the opponent’s games and coming up with tactics. I feel that when people say that, they don’t really understand how hard is to do what we’ve done this season.
“It’s going to be a tough final. We’ve seen last year United didn’t make it easy for us. When it’s a derby, on your day anyone can win so, it’s something we have to look forward to and be at our best if we’re going to win.”
