Manchester City have completed the signing of defender Abdukodir Khusanov from Lens for a substantial fee of €40 million, plus add-ons.
At just 20 years old, Khusanov is set to become the first Uzbek player to compete in the Premier League.
The young defender has secured a four-and-a-half-year contract with City after Lens secured a massive profit, having acquired him for only €100,000 from Energetik-BGU in Belarus in July 2023.
Khusanov is City’s first signing of the January transfer window, as the club looks to strengthen its squad following a disappointing first half of the season.
With City trailing Premier League leaders Liverpool by 12 points, the club is also in talks to sign forward Omar Marmoush from Eintracht Frankfurt and is nearing a €35 million deal for Brazilian defender Vitor Reis from Palmeiras.
City’s director of football, Txiki Begiristain, expressed excitement over the signing, noting that Khusanov is not only intelligent but also brings strength, aggression, and pace to the squad.
Khusanov expressed excitement about joining City’s squad, which he considers to be among the best in the world, and working under renowned manager Pep Guardiola to further develop his game.
Khusanov has earned 18 international caps for Uzbekistan and is expected to make a significant impact at City in the years to come.
This article was updated 2 days ago