Man City agree £33.6m deal for Ligue 1 defender and close in on Julian Alvarez replacement | OneFootball

Manchester City have reportedly agreed a deal worth €40m (£33.6m) to sign Lens centre-back Abdukodir Khusanov, although that is not expected to be the end of their mid-season investment.

Khusanov, a 20-year-old Uzbekistan international who only joined Lens for a paltry sum of €100,000 (£84,000) 18 months ago, had attracted interest from Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur this month. The 6'1 right-footer skirted around the fringes of the French club's first-team squad last season after making the significant leap from Belarusian outfit Energetik-BGU Minsk in 2023.

Now an established cog at the heart of Will Still's defensive rearguard, Khusanov is poised to sign a four-and-a-half year contract at Manchester City, according to The Athletic.

The arrival of a raw centre-back is just the first move in what promises to be a busy January window for Pep Guardiola's out-of-sorts champions.

City are "close" to completing a deal for Eintracht Frankfurt forward Omar Marmoush, Fabrizio Romano reports. A move for the former Liverpool target appeared to have stalled after the Bundesliga club set a steep €80m (£67m) asking price. Nevertheless, City had agreed personal terms with Marmoush and are now "progressing fast" in discussions with the club surrounding a suitable fee.

Omar Marmoush has been one of the Bundesliga sensations this season / Eurasia Sport Images/GettyImages

An official announcement could take place as soon as next week.

Romano claims that Guardiola views Marmoush as the "perfect player to replace Julian Alvarez". The Argentine World Cup winner was sold to Atletico Madrid over the summer for a sum in the region of £81.5m. Ageing attacking midfielder Ilkay Gundogan was the only player to arrive at the Etihad in the summer window who shared any of the same characteristics as Alvarez.

Without another attacking outlet, the goalscoring burden has fallen on Erling Haaland's broad shoulders. City's prolific number nine boasts an impressive 16 Premier League goals this season, but left-back Josko Gvardiol is the club's second-top scorer with just four. Mateo Kovacic (three) is the only other player with more than a pair of top-flight goals this term.

Marmoush racked up 13 goals across his first 15 Bundesliga matches - a tally only beaten by Bayern Munich's Harry Kane this term.

City are also in advanced discussions with Palmeiras centre-back Vitor Reis as Guardiola's side turn to the transfer market in a desperate bid to salvage a season which currently sees tham slumped in sixth place in the Premier League table.