Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said he’s planning to include Phil Foden in his squad for the FIFA Club World Cup despite accepting that midfielder needs a period of “rest.”
Foden, named the Premier League‘s best player a year ago, has struggled for form this season. He will miss England‘s fixtures against Andorra and Senegal in June after asking to be left out of Thomas Tuchel’s squad.
Guardiola has said the 24-year-old, who is dealing with an ankle injury, needs to rest. But the City boss said Foden is in line to be part of the group which travels to the Unite States for the Club World Cup.
“In principle, he will come to America,” Guardiola said.
“We want to help him, that’s the most important thing. He needs rest and it’s going to happen now after Sunday. Step by step he is going to come back, that is what we want.
“I just want, want, want to help him. I don’t care about his performance on the pitch, I want him to feel good and after the rest it will come in an easy way.”
Guardiola has revealed the club will hold talks with the English Football Association (FA) before deciding on the availability of James McAtee and Rico Lewis for the Club World Cup.
England’s under-21s begin their Euros campaign against Czech Republic on June 12. City are due to fly to Florida for their Club World Cup base camp on the same day before starting the tournament with a game against Wydad AC in Philadelphia on June 18.
“They have to talk,” Guardiola said.
“I joke and I am so funny a guy so I don’t know who is going to pay the salary in these months — national teams or the club so if they decide they are going to the under-21s, I don’t know who is going to pay it. They are going to decide, I would say, the players with the club.
“They will talk with the sporting director and they have to decide what they want to do.
“I know the manager of under-21s asked the club for both players to go to the under-21s but I don’t know the resolution right now.”
Meanwhile, Guardiola has confirmed that Kyle Walker will not rejoin the squad for the Club World Cup. The England defender joined AC Milan on loan in January, but still has a year left on his contract at the Etihad Stadium.
