Transfer: Manchester City Secure €40m Deal for Lens Defender Khusanov

Manchester City agree €40m deal with Lens for defender Abdukodir Khusanov, set to become the first Uzbek player in the Premier League.
Pep Guardiola targets reinforcements amid defensive injury struggles, with Khusanov and potential moves for Vitor Reis and Omar Marmoush in focus.
Ruben Dias, John Stones, and Nathan Ake remain sidelined as City seek to address their defensive woes.

Manchester City have reached an agreement with Lens to sign central defender Abdukodir Khusanov for €40 million (£33.6 million), with additional bonus payments included.

The 22-year-old Uzbekistan international is set to undergo a medical before the transfer is finalized.

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Manager Pep Guardiola has prioritized defensive reinforcements following a challenging period for the Premier League champions, who have dropped to sixth in the table and trail leaders Liverpool by 12 points.

The acquisition of Khusanov marks City’s first major January signing since Aymeric Laporte in 2018 and demonstrates Guardiola’s resolve to address ongoing squad issues, including a spate of defensive injuries.

Khusanov, who will become the first Uzbek player to join the Premier League, has impressed during his time at Lens, where he made 13 Ligue 1 appearances this season and scored his first goal in a French Cup match against PSG last month.

Lens initially signed him for just €100,000 (£84,000) from Belarusian club Energetik-BGU 18 months ago.

City are also pursuing other targets, including Palmeiras’ teenage defender Vitor Reis and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush, as Guardiola seeks to bolster the squad further.