New Delhi: Manchester City have been looking forward to the January transfer window for quite a while now. Even if Pep Guardiola’s team has been winning lately, they are still in sixth place in the Premier League standings and must fight to qualify for the Champions League play-off round in February. The Sky Blues’ season has been hindered by a number of injuries as well as the loss of form of important players.
A transfer for Lens center back Abdukodir Khusanov might be the first step in revitalizing an aging team. According to the Manchester Evening News, City is prepared to expedite plans to acquire the 20-year-old, who has been on their radar for more than a year. The Uzbek international would probably fit into the senior team given the back injury problems, but in a perfect scenario, City would like to bed Khusanov in should they sign him.
‘The Monster’ that has caught Manchester City’s eyes
🚨🇺🇿 Understand Manchester City are keeping contacts active for Abdukodir Khusanov deal.
Discussions started on both player and club side with Lens, waiting for next steps as there are more clubs interested. pic.twitter.com/Yp9InnvokJ
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 5, 2025
The French side Lens are having a good season in Ligue 1. With just 14 goals given up in their first 15 games, Will Still’s team had the joint-best defensive record in the division going into the winter break, sitting third in France’s premier division and three points outside of the European spots. This has been Khusanov’s breakout campaign for Lens, who has turned out to be a rock at the back. Despite just making nine league starts the previous season, the 20-year-old is currently among the first names on Les Sang et Or’s roster.
As January approaches, it should come as no surprise that Khusanov’s services are in high demand. The Uzbek international, who Lens reportedly values at €30 million, has been linked to moves from Tottenham, Manchester City, and Newcastle. That might turn out to be a great deal. He is a formidable presence on the backline and skilled with the ball. The right-footed player has also played well in a two, but Lens typically play three at the back with Khusanov in the middle of the three.
Under Englishman Will Still, he has established himself to be the defensive pillar at Lens, allowing the wide center halves to freely support and cover farther forward. In addition to his stature and strength, he reads the game well and is a persistent tackler. In a high line, his pace might be something that would turn out to be one of his main strengths which allows him to make those speedy recoveries in his half. It is truly scary to see such a towering presence running at you with such high speed and intensity.
The young defender has been named ‘Monster’ by his teammates and he is certainly living up to that name with his towering presence at the back. Khusanov’s height of 6’1″ allows him to dominate the aerial duels, which is a strength that any center-back would want. His 70% success rate ranks sixth in Ligue 1 among the 92 players who have engaged in at least 25 aerial duels. For comparison, Alexsandro Ribeiro leads France’s premier division in this metric with 78.6%.
Can he break into this City lineup?
Khusanov I was not familiar with your game
pic.twitter.com/WwQKVcZvqM
— Jacky (@MCFC_Jacky) January 3, 2025
With current defensive problems creeping into the City lineup and Pep Guardiola’s tactics, he will be looking to get the ideal solution to those issues. Khusanov certainly is the solution to that problem as we have already mentioned his attributes adn what he can produce on the pitch. In the past few months, due to their lack of confidence, the defence has suffered the most as City have seemed to lost their calmness on the ball and how they handle high pressure situations.
With the ageing squad needing some new reinforcements, it seems like Khusanov would fit Pep Guardiola’s tactics well and he will be looking to make an impact that’s for sure. He will provide that towering presence at the back and also the game reading ability that City need in their current defensive line. Since we have witnessed Pep playing back three, the Uzbek international will surely be a great addition to that trio alongside John Stones and Ruben Dias.
Abdukodir Khusanov, a promising young defender for RC Lens, has garnered interest from top European clubs, including Manchester City. Will he be able to produce the goods in the toughest of leagues? Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
