Ryan Giggs’ standing as the most decorated player in English football history will come under threat from Manchester City starlet Phil Foden, claims Joleon Lescott, with the 20-year-old already eight trophies into chasing down the United legend’s haul of 25.
An era of unprecedented success at Old Trafford in the 1990s and 2000s allowed the Wales international to accrue a remarkable collection of silverware.
Sir Alex Ferguson delivered 13 Premier League titles for United, along with a number of successes in domestic cup competitions and two Champions League crowns.
Giggs was an ever-present throughout that run having broken through as a teenager, and now sits at the top of the British game when it comes to honours.
However he could knocked from that perch, with City starlet Foden among those with the potential to rein in him given the success City have enjoyed and the longevity he could have at the very top of the game.
Former Blues defender Lescott expects the Etihad Stadium academy graduate to overtake Giggs at some stage, telling CityTV: “Regards to what he can achieve, hopefully, touch wood, he can withstand injuries, he can be the most decorated English player in history.
“What has he got? Two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, two League Cups. He's 20 years old. If he continues at this level and stays at City for the remainder of his career, which I hope he does, he'll average two, three trophies a season which is going to be remarkable.”
Lescott added on Foden: “I don't think his quality is ever going to be in question. What he has, which I don't see many players have, is an obsession with football. I don't just mean love of the game - I love the game - but he's like weirdly obsessed with the game.
“He walks around with a football, I did some work with England Under-21s and I had to ban footballs from the hotel because he was constantly with one at his feet. He would want to stay extra on the field and do extra stuff so I had to monitor that. His obsession for football is none like I've seen before.”
While chasing down more silverware at club level, Lescott is also tipping Foden to make a senior international breakthrough at some stage in the near future – with the rescheduling of Euro 2020 set to work in his favour.
The former Three Lions defender added: “The timing of it all could benefit him especially.
“We're going to miss David Silva, but if that means Phil Foden getting more minutes, him playing more minutes for Man City inevitably leads to him playing more minutes for England. Hopefully that is the case for him next season.
“He's fearless, he loves the game, he's a sponge to all information given to him. Hopefully he can get more minutes next season, then get into that Euros squad.”