The most talented player Guardiola has worked with revealed and it’s not Messi

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has hailed Phil Foden as the most talented player he has ever worked with.

The 19-year-old is regarded as one of England’s most exciting prospects and is billed as the future of City’s midfield.

Guardiola has come in for criticism about Foden’s lack of game time over the last 18 months and there have been suggestions the teenager should leave City for regular playing time.

However, Foden is content with life at City and Guardiola has lavished the highest of praise on the England Under-21 internationals potential.

Despite working with the likes of Lionel Messi, David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne, it is Foden that Guardiola has remarkably hailed as the most talented player he has ever seen.

“Phil is the most, most talented player I have ever seen in my career in football as a player and a manager,” The Daily Mirror quote Guardiola as saying.

“I said it many times in press conferences - but maybe not in front of him. He has everything to become one of the best players, not just in England.

“His only problem is sometimes his manager doesn’t put him in starting XI, so hopefully in the future he can improve.

“He deserves all the minutes, but with his competitors it isn’t easy. He is open-minded and works incredibly hard in every training session and he knows how much I appreciate him.

“He knows I am here to help him as much as possible to become better and I am pretty sure both of us will get it.”

Foden made 13 league appearances for Premier League champions City last season, though only three of those were starts.

He was also one of England’s better players at this summer’s U21 European Championships before bizarrely being rested for their must-win match against Romania, which they lost.