Premier League 2024-25: Manchester City signs Uzbekistan defender Abdukodir Khusanov from Lens
Premier League 2024-25: Manchester City signs Uzbekistan defender Abdukodir Khusanov from Lens
Manchester City has signed Uzbekistan central defender Abdukodir Khusanov from Ligue 1 side Lens on a four-and-a-half-year deal, the Premier League club announced on Monday.
British media said City had paid a transfer fee of 40 million euros ($41.56 million) for 20-year-old Khusanov, who has played in 13 of Lens’ 16 league games this season.
“For such a young defender, Abdukodir is already very intelligent, as well as being strong, aggressive and extremely quick,” City said in a statement.
The centre-back is the Premier League’s first player from Uzbekistan.
Khusanov joined Lens from Belarusian side Energetik-BGU Minsk in 2023, playing 31 matches for the French team in all competitions.
City has been hit with injury issues at centre-back this season, with Ruben Dias, John Stones and Nathan Ake all having time out of action.
The team is in fifth place in its Premier League title defense, 12 points behind leader Liverpool having played one game more, and is struggling to advance from the league stage of the revamped UEFA Champions League after winning just two of its six matches so far.
