The potential PR positivity from this if we kept him and it turned out to be a success is immense. Young lads would see that leaving City with a buyback clause after a few loans isn't a dead pathway. They'll also see via Foden that you can get into the first team too directly from the academy. Suddenly we would have had both pathways validated. We would have essentially paid PSV a few million to develop him into a squad player for us, which is absolutely fuck all.
Look at this way: about £7m net for a HG, club-trained left-back in a problem position with loads of potential to get better who is also one of the best attacking young FBs in European football? We'd be mad not to activate that clause and keep him around for a year at least.