Maresca Names Manchester City's Leadership Group Without Foden

Enzo Maresca has nailed his colours to the mast over Manchester City’s new leadership group – and Phil Foden is not in it.

The 26-year-old, a symbol of the club’s academy success and a fixture in the first team for years, was strongly considered. In the end, he has been left outside the official quartet of captains for the new campaign.

Maresca’s four-man leadership core

Speaking at his Friday press conference, Maresca laid out the hierarchy with no room for confusion.

"The captain is Ruben [Dias], Erling [Haaland], Marc Guehi and Gianluigi Donnarumma," he said, confirming a four-man rotation of armband duties.

Dias and Haaland are the obvious pillars: serial winners, vocal, and already central to the dressing room. The real statement lies in the elevation of Marc Guehi and Gianluigi Donnarumma. Both are relatively new faces in this City setup, yet Maresca has pushed them straight into the heart of the leadership structure.

There is a clear logic. And Maresca spelled it out.

"First of all, because Marc was already captain with Palace," he explained. "So he has the experience. Gigio is the captain of the Italy national team, so he has the experience. The reason why I decided for them is because I can see them helping the teammates and the dressing room to behave in the right way."

Experience as a skipper mattered. So did their influence behind the scenes.

“These are the four that are going to be the captains,” he continued. “But I was also thinking about Phil, because Phil is one of the guys from the house. He’s not in that group, but for me he’s also one of the captains, one of the players that belong to that group."

So Foden will not wear the armband as part of the official core, yet in Maresca’s mind he still carries a form of unofficial captaincy – a standard-bearer, not a formal leader.

Foden’s status: symbol of the club, not skipper

Maresca did not shy away from Foden’s importance. He called him a “guy from the house,” a nod to his local roots and deep bond with the supporters. This is the 2023-24 PFA Player of the Year, a player who has grown from boyhood prospect to global star in City blue.

Leaving him out of the official leadership group was not a casual call. Maresca admitted it was a difficult decision, but the criteria were clear: proven captaincy elsewhere and a specific type of influence in the dressing room.

Foden’s authority, for now, will be expressed through performances and standards rather than the armband.

Out wide for now, the middle in mind

The debate around Foden this season is not just about leadership. It is about where he plays.

With Jeremy Doku sidelined at the start of the Premier League campaign, Foden has been pushed out to the right wing. Maresca knows that is not his natural home.

"I think Phil’s best position is in the middle," the Italian insisted. "But he’s doing an effort to help the team. Because for the first two games we didn’t have options in the wide area, because Jeremy was injured."

There was no ambiguity about where Maresca sees Foden at his most dangerous.

"No doubt that Phil’s position in the middle is much better. But I’m very, very happy with Phil since day one. He’s working very good, even when he has played wide in the last two games, he was good."

The message is blunt: Foden is sacrificing for the team. And his manager is taking note.

A manager’s demand: elite players must adapt

Maresca’s use of Foden across the front line is not a tactical whim. It is a philosophy. For him, the very best players should be able to solve problems in multiple roles, especially when injuries bite.

His praise focused less on goals or assists and more on attitude. Foden has accepted the shift away from his preferred No.10 pocket, stayed professional, and delivered from the flank when needed.

"You can see that inside the pitch he’s much better," Maresca said, again underlining that central role. "But at the end, Phil is going to play in a different position. Because he’s a good and good players, they can play in different positions."

That last line tells its own story. In Maresca’s City, versatility is not a bonus. It is a requirement.

Foden may not have the armband, but if he keeps dictating games from wherever he is asked to play, how long can he really be kept out of the official leadership group?