De Bruyne sees positional change for Foden after hat-trick heroics for City in Manchester derby

• Home-grown star continues to shine
• Has operated as a wide attacker
• Expected to become a playmaker in time

WHAT HAPPENED? The 22-year-old England international has already put his versatility to good use in a relatively short career to date, with outings for club and country seeing him operate on either flank. De Bruyne believes Foden will become a playmaking No.10 in time, with the potential there for him to be another creative talisman for the reigning Premier League champions.

WHAT THEY SAID: Two-time PFA Player of the Year award winner De Bruyne has said of Foden: “What is he not good at? He can play in a lot of different positions.

“I think eventually he will end up playing centrally but in this moment in time it is maybe a little bit better for him on the wing to have more freedom and fewer instructions so he flows into the game. I eventually see him playing more centrally when he gets older and gets more stamina. It’s all about little details to just find more consistency in the performances.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: De Bruyne added on what Foden needs to do in order to join the global elite: “He’s only 22. I know at 22 I wasn’t the player that I am now. He’s so good, so it’s trying to find consistency. He’s been playing unbelievably for us so he will be here for a long time.”

IN THREE PHOTOS:

WHAT NEXT FOR FODEN? The highly-regarded product of City’s famed academy system hit a hat-trick in his last outing for the Blues, in a 6-3 derby win over arch-rivals Manchester United, and he is now up to 51 goals for the club through 180 appearances.