Manchester City Nears €40M Deal for Lens Defender Abdukodir Khusanov

Manchester City is closing in on a €40 million deal to sign 20-year-old Uzbekistani defender Abdukodir Khusanov from French club Lens, sources confirmed to ESPN. The agreement includes bonuses and a four-and-a-half-year contract with an option to extend by 12 months. Khusanov, who has been capped 18 times by Uzbekistan, is expected to undergo a medical this weekend before finalizing the move.

Khusanov joined Lens in 2023 from Belarusian club Energetik-BGU Minsk for a modest €100,000 fee. Since then, he has made 31 appearances for the French side, including two in the UEFA Champions League group stage this season. Despite a two-game suspension in November, Khusanov has been a consistent starter for Lens, missing only two of their 18 Ligue 1 matches.

Pep Guardiola‘s side has been actively seeking defensive reinforcements following injuries to key players. Khusanov’s arrival would bolster City’s backline, which currently includes John Stones, Rúben Dias, Nathan Aké, and Manuel Akanji. The deal marks City’s first signing of the January transfer window.

Lens, meanwhile, is set to make a significant profit from the transfer. The club had initially hoped to retain Khusanov for another six months but agreed to the deal to address financial pressures. Sources indicate that super agent Jorge Mendes played a role in facilitating the move.

In addition to Khusanov, Manchester City is also exploring a deal for 25-year-old Egyptian striker Omar Marmoush from Eintracht Frankfurt. Marmoush, who has scored 13 goals in 15 Bundesliga games this season, is valued at around £50 million. While no formal offer has been made, Frankfurt expects City to submit a bid before the transfer deadline.

City, currently sixth in the Premier League, will next face Salford City in the FA Cup on January 11. The club’s pursuit of Khusanov and Marmoush underscores their ambition to strengthen the squad for the second half of the season.