Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes Phil Foden can turn into the next David Silva.

The City academy graduate is a bonafide star for Guardiola's almighty team despite being only 21 years of age.

Foden inherited the versatile attacking midfielder role from Spain legend Silva, who spent ten years at the Etihad.

And Guardiola says Foden's next stage of evolution in succeeding Silva includes learning how to slow the game down when needed.

"I think he can play in all five positions up front - wingers on both sides, striker and attacking midfielder in the pockets. He can play all of them," said Guardiola. "With time he will be more capable of playing in the positions in the middle.

"He still does all actions at high speed and sometimes you have to have some pausa. Now he has the energy of youth and maybe winger suits him better a little bit right now."

"I'm pretty sure (he will end up central) because when I started to see him in the academy at 15 or 16 he played the position of Kevin and he played really good. All the actions are so, so quick.

"I always talk about David Silva, sometimes he slowed the rhythm to increase the rhythm and Phil's rhythm is always high. It's good because it's aggressive and we need it, but sometimes he needs a little more in that position - that is only a question of time, not that he cannot do it because he can do it without a problem."