Manchester City Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Phil Foden and Yacine Adli

Manchester City are expected to hand 17-year-old midfield talent Phil Foden a new contract worth £40,000 per week, according to MailOnline's Chris Wheeler.

The proposed new deal, set to run for five years, would double Foden's wages, a reflection of how well he is thought of by the Premier League leaders. Wheeler noted how the Citizens are "keen to reward" Foden to make sure "one of the hottest prospects in English football commits his future to the club."

Foden has enjoyed a rapid rise since the summer. The teenage playmaker appeared for City against derby rivals Manchester United during a preseason tour of the U.S.

His debut left manager Pep Guardiola without words, per Alex Martin of MailOnline. Foden has since gone from strength to strength.

Back in December, the Stockport native won the BBC Young Sport Personality of the Year after helping England win the U17 World Cup, per Sky Sports. Foden was the player of the tournament for the young Three Lions last summer.

His route to the City first team has been a slow one, with the teen making two substitute appearances in the Premier League and one start in the UEFA Champions League. Foden also came off the bench late during the Citizens' 3-0 demolition of Arsenal in the 2018 Carabao Cup final at Wembley on Sunday.

It's perhaps understandable games among the City regulars have been hard to come by. After all, the Manchester club is loaded with established talent in midfield, including David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Fernandino and Ilkay Gundogan. Yaya Toure and Bernardo Silva are also available for Guardiola.

However, the fact Foden has shown enough in limited action to earn a new contract proves his stock is steadily on the rise in Guardiola's squad.

Further competition could come Foden's way, though, especially if City beat Arsenal to the signing of Paris Saint-Germain's Yacine Adli. Both City and the Gunners are vying for 17-year-old midfielder's signature, according to French publication L'Equipe (h/t TalkSport.com).

Adli hasn't signed a professional contract with Les Parisiens yet but could move to England for just £250,000 in the summer, per L'Equipe.

Beating Arsenal to the player may be easier than in recent years. Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is still well-respected in France, but his stock has fallen somewhat in England.

Wenger's future is in doubt after Sunday's defeat, with candidates being lined up to replace him, according to Jeremy Wilson and Matt Law of the Daily Telegraph. Arsenal are sixth in England's top flight and a long shot to qualify for next season's Champions League.

By contrast, Guardiola has City primed to win major trophies again next season. He's at the peak of his profession and leading a club underpinned by awesome financial resources.

Both factors would give City the edge if any battle with Arsenal for a player emerged.

Guardiola has also cultivated his own reputation for developing young talent, particularly from his days with Barcelona and Bayern Munich, both of whom have an interest in Adli, per the report.

Landing a burgeoning talent ahead of the competition would be yet another coup for City.

from Bleacher Report - Front Page http://ift.tt/2F11N1d