Manchester City have signed Lens defender Abdukodir Khusanov.
The 20-year-old has joined the Premier League champions on a four-and-a-half-year contract and will wear the No 45 shirt.
What did he have to say?
“This squad is full of the best players in the world, and I can’t wait to meet them and play alongside them,” Khusanov said on the club's official website.
“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.”
Who is Abdukodir Khusanov?
Born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on 29 February 2004, Khusanov is a rising talent in European football.
He began his professional career at Energetik-BGU Minsk in Belarus, where his performances earned him a move to Ligue 1 side Lens in the summer of 2023.
He featured in 13 of Lens’ first 15 Ligue 1 matches this season, missing the other two due to suspension for his red card at Paris Saint-Germain in early November.
Khusanov's move to Man City will make him the Premier League's first player from Uzbekistan; he was also the first from his country to play in Ligue 1.
However, Nigeria international Peter Odemwingie was the first player born in Uzbekistan to play in the Premier League, when he signed for West Bromwich Albion in August 2010.
Khusanov has been capped 18 times by Uzbekistan, having made his senior debut in June 2023, as a substitute in their 3-0 win over Oman.
Where does he fit in?
Khusanov will provide valuable depth and competition for Man City's defensive options.
This season, the champions have fielded eight different centre-back pairings, highlighting some instability in the centre of their defence.
The young Uzbek's arrival offers Guardiola another versatile option to bolster the backline.
Khusanov is accustomed to playing in a back three at Lens so will need to adapt to playing in a back four, and the shift to a more possession-heavy system will also be an adjustment he has to make.
However, his passing ability and comfort on the ball should allow him to transition smoothly into City's tactical style.
