Rio Ferdinand believes that there will be a shift in leadership at Manchester City from Kevin De Bruyne to Phil Foden.

In a recent interview, former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has expressed his belief that Phil Foden is the perfect successor to Kevin De Bruyne at Manchester City. Ferdinand believes that Foden is making a strong case for himself with his recent performances and has the potential to become one of Europe’s best players.

Foden, who broke into the City team at the age of 17, has steadily established himself as one of the club’s most promising talents. Under the guidance of Pep Guardiola, Foden has already made over 260 appearances for the club.

De Bruyne, on the other hand, has been a key figure for City since joining from Wolfsburg in 2015. With over 370 games and 267 goal contributions to his name, the Belgian midfielder has played a crucial role in the club’s success in the Premier League and UEFA Champions League.

Despite De Bruyne still being in his prime at the age of 32, Ferdinand can see the “passing of the torch” happening soon. He believes that Foden has the ability to become the go-to player for City and that Guardiola has been grooming him for that role.

However, Ferdinand acknowledges that it will be difficult to move De Bruyne aside given his current form and influence on the team. The bigger question for Ferdinand is whether both players can be accommodated in the central areas of the pitch together, something that hasn’t been seen yet.

Foden did not feature in City’s recent comeback win against Crystal Palace, but it is expected that he will start in the club’s upcoming Champions League quarter-final tie against Real Madrid. Former England international Joe Cole believes that Foden will play a pivotal role in the match and is excited to see him go up against his compatriot Jude Bellingham.

The Real Madrid v Manchester City match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 2, with coverage starting at 19:00 UK time on Tuesday, April 9. Fans can subscribe to TNT Sports through various TV platforms such as discovery+, BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media.