Manchester City have reportedly reached an agreement with French club Lens for the transfer of central defender Abdukodir Khusanov in a deal worth €40m (£33.6m).
The deal includes additional performance-based bonuses, with Khusanov set to undergo a medical before the transfer is finalised.
City manager Pep Guardiola has been eager to strengthen his squad following a challenging period that has seen the reigning Premier League champions drop to sixth in the league table, trailing leaders Liverpool by 12 points.
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Khusanov, a 23-year-old Uzbekistan international, will make history as the first player from Uzbekistan to play for a Premier League club once his move is completed. He will also be City’s first major January signing since Aymeric Laporte’s arrival in 2018, signalling Guardiola’s commitment to strengthening City’s defensive options amid an injury crisis.
Ruben Dias, John Stones, and Nathan Ake have all faced extended periods on the sidelines this season, leaving Guardiola short of defensive options. Khusanov’s signing will provide much-needed depth as City seek to reverse their fortunes in both domestic and European competitions.
Khusanov has quickly risen through the ranks since joining Lens from Belarusian club Energetik-BGU for just €100,000 (£84,000) 18 months ago. The central defender has made 13 Ligue 1 appearances this season and earned 18 caps for Uzbekistan. He scored his first goal for Lens in a French Cup match against Paris Saint-Germain on December 22.
In addition to Khusanov, Manchester City are reportedly in negotiations with Palmeiras for 18-year-old Brazilian defender Vitor Reis and are monitoring Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush, who has impressed with Eintracht Frankfurt this season.
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