Reports that had been widely circulated on social media, originating from the Manchester City fan-based account City Watch, claiming that the club’s Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has suffered an injury in training have been confirmed by the club.
In a statement on their official website, the club have said that the midfielder is “undergoing tests on his right knee after sustaining an injury at training on Wednesday.”
But how will the reigning Premier League champions cope this term if they are indeed to be without the most creative force within their ranks for a spell? The 27-year-old's stats from the title-winning campaign make for scary reading - he made 106 key passes in the league last season, or 2.9 per game. Among them were the makings of 19 big chances, an impressive 0.5 per game.
With the English transfer window shut there’s no chance of a replacement being brought in, but there might be one among their number who can fill the considerable hole that De Bruyne would leave in their midfield should he have to spend an extended time on the sidelines.
Stockport native and lifelong City supporter Phil Foden has been nurtured by Pep Guardiola since his arrival at the Etihad, choosing to keep him at the club rather than ship him off on loan in search of more game time.
The 18-year-old made five league appearances in Sky Blue last term, but his manager has already hinted that he could be set to take up a more prominent role this term.
"Phil is part of the team," Guardiola said after the England underage international’s performance in the Community Shield earlier this month.
"Last season was his first season, training with us and playing sometimes with us, sometimes with the us, sometimes with the second team. Now he’s more mature, he’s part of the first team.”
After a few shaky opening minutes in that game at Wembley, he grew into proceedings in a central role and earned an assist after putting in Sergio Aguero for his first of the afternoon in a 2-0 win for the Citizens.
While Foden may have been expected to relinquish his shirt to De Bruyne upon his return to fitness after a post-World Cup break, a player of uncommon creativity and maturity for his age may now have a chance to establish himself at his boyhood club.
He'll have competition from the likes of Portuguese international Bernardo Silva and the newly-arrived Riyad Mahrez, both capable of playing centrally, but given the esteem in which his coach holds him, he may well be given an opportunity to step into the full-time, first-team, fray.
While this responsibility would weigh heavy on the shoulders of any young player, Foden will have the unerring support of the City faithful, who hold him dear as a sole local face in a global footballing operation - a point that’s not lost on his coach.
"It's good because he's a Manchester City fan, him and his family. The people love him," said the Catalan during his post-match comments after the win over Chelsea.
