Manchester City have secured the services of Abdukodir Khusanov. The 20-year-old Uzbek center-back – the first Uzbek in the Premier League – joins the English champions from RC Lens.
Manchester City are working on their defensive future: As the Skyblues announced on Monday evening, Abdukodir Khusanov has been signed from RC Lens. In Manchester, the 20-year-old center back will receive a long-term contract directly until June 30, 2029.
The term alone makes it clear that the reigning English champions, who have recently been in the midst of a sporting crisis but have since recovered, have a high opinion of the Uzbek international.
And Khusanov himself is also convinced that he has taken the right step in his still young professional career. In his first interview to be broadcast on the club’s channels, the right-handed player announced, among other things: “This is one of the best teams in the world. And I came here to win titles.”
Convinced that he would sign his long-term contract, it is hardly surprising that Pep Guardiola also wanted him, along with other top players. “The coach is one of the best. That’s why I’m here.”
In Lens set – and in the Premier League the first
Khusanov only came to Lens from Energetik-BGU Minsk (Belarus) in 2023 at the age of 18, where he made his first appearance in a top European league. The Uzbek has been a fixture at the heart of the Ligue 1 club’s strong defense this season, making 13 appearances (24 overall).
Now Khusanov is taking the next step – a very big one. In Manchester, he has high-profile competition in his position, such as Josko Gvardiol and Manuel Akanji. However, the 20-year-old can probably learn a thing or two from his future colleagues. He knows, however, what kind of football the first Premier League professional from Uzbekistan (over 35 million inhabitants) can expect from now on: “I’ve seen a lot of ManCity games, even when I was young. It’s a unique style.”
