Manchester City sign defender Abdukodir Khusanov from Lens

Uzbekistan defender Abdukodir Khusanov has joined Manchester City on a four-and-a-half-year deal from Ligue 1 club Lens.

It’s understood the fee for the 20-year-old is worth €40m plus add-ons.

Khusanov is the first player from Uzbekistan to join a Premier League club, and will wear the number 45 shirt.

He said: “I’m absolutely delighted to be joining Manchester City, a club that I have enjoyed watching for a long time.

“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 is a very proud moment for me and my family to be joining a great club like Manchester City and I’m more than ready for this challenge.”

Kushanov has impressed in his 31 appearances for Lens.

Khusanov’s deal keeps him at the Etihad Stadium until the summer of 2029.

He began his professional career in Belarus playing for Energetik-BGU before making the move to Ligue 1 in 2023, where he made 31 appearances for RC Lens.

Khusanov has been capped 18 times by Uzbekistan.

Txiki Begiristain, City’s director of football, said Khusanov is already “very intelligent, as well as being strong, aggressive and extremely quick”.

Guardiola is strengthening his squad this month after a difficult run of results which has left his side fourth in the table – 12 points behind leaders Liverpool.

City looked at their ruthless best at the weekend when they beat Ipswich Town 6-0 at Portman Road – their biggest Premier League victory of the season.

On Wednesday, they travel to the French capital to face PSG in the Champions League – needing a win to boost their chances of reaching the knockout stage.


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