Phil Foden

Foden's greatest asset is understanding rather than pure pace, since growing up inside City's academy gave him a feel for the team's rotations that a signing from outside usually takes years to develop. His close control lets him operate in tight spaces without needing room to accelerate, which is why he thrives centrally as easily as from a wide starting position. That adaptability comes from reading a pattern rather than reacting to it.

The question that follows a player capable of several attacking roles is which one actually gets the best version of him consistently. A central position asks him to combine in traffic, while a wide starting point gives him more room to run into before he reaches the box. Watch which role Guardiola settles him into for the biggest matches, since that says as much about the team as it does about him.