Breaking: Manchester City Completes £33m Deal for Lens Star Abdukodir Khusanov
Manchester City has completed the signing of 20-year-old Uzbek defender Abdukodir Khusanov from French club Lens for a fee of €40 million (£33.8 million).
Khusanov has signed a four-and-a-half-year contract, becoming the first player from Uzbekistan to join a Premier League club.
Khusanov began his professional career at Belarusian side Energetik-BGU Minsk before moving to Lens in 2023, where he made 31 appearances in all competitions.
Known for his intelligence, strength, aggression, and exceptional speed, he has earned 18 caps for the Uzbekistan national team.
Manchester City’s Director of Football, Txiki Begiristain, expressed excitement about Khusanov’s potential, stating: “For such a young defender, Abdukodir is already very intelligent, as well as being strong, aggressive and extremely quick.”
Khusanov himself is eager to develop under manager Pep Guardiola, saying: “This squad is full of the best players in the world, and I can’t wait to meet them and play alongside them. And of course Pep Guardiola is one of the greatest coaches ever and I am so excited to learn from him and improve my game even more.”
This signing comes as Manchester City aims to strengthen its defensive options amid a challenging season marked by injuries to key players like Ruben Dias and John Stones.
Khusanov’s arrival is expected to provide valuable depth to the squad as they compete in domestic and European competitions.