Khusanov pens new City contract | OneFootball

Abdukodir Khusanov has signed a new five-year contract with Manchester City, keeping him at the Club until 2031.

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The Uzbek international defender arrived in January 2025 and has enjoyed a stellar first 18 months in English football.

The now 22-year-old has continually grown in confidence and stature to eventually become one of the most trusted members of the squad in 2025/26.

He formed a solid centre-back partnership with Marc Guéhi in the second half of the campaign, playing 16 of our last 19 Premier League games as well as starring roles in both the successful FA Cup and League Cup finals.

Only 47 games into his City career, Khusanov’s lightning speed and tackling prowess have made him one of the Premier League’s standout young talents and a real fan favourite at the Etihad Stadium.

Indeed, he was in the final three players nominated for our 2025/26 Etihad Player of the Season award, narrowly losing out to Academy graduate Nico O’Reilly.

Meanwhile, he also played a pivotal role as his homeland Uzbekistan qualified for their first ever World Cup.

His development on and off the pitch has now been rewarded with a new deal.

On signing his new contract, Khusanov said: “This is a great day for me and my family – I am really happy to extend my stay at City.

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“I’ve enjoyed every minute since I arrived in Manchester and I feel I am growing and learning a lot as a player.

“I have a new challenge now, which is to impress Enzo Maresca and his staff and ensure I am in his team regularly. I am determined to do that.

“Thank you to the City fans for all of your support. It has been really important as I’ve settled in England and the Premier League.

“Now I am only looking forward. I’m ready to do everything I can to help this Club be as a successful as possible.”

Director of Football Hugo Viana added: “We’ve been really pleased and impressed by Abdukodir’s development since he arrived in England.

“We’re seeing him grow into a brilliant young man and an outstanding defender - but we know this is only the beginning. His physical and technical abilities are top, he has all the assets needed to be a world-class centre-back.

“At just 22, his best years are all in front of him and his potential to get even better is clear for all to see.

“That’s why we’re so happy he has signed a new contract at City and hopefully he can be a big part of Enzo’s plans in the years to come.”

Everyone at City would like to congratulate Abdukodir on his new contract.

Bolt from the Blue

It’s fair to say few of the regular matchgoers amongst the City fanbase were overly familiar with Abdukodir Khusanov before his January 2025 move to Manchester.

When you consider that less than two years prior he had been plying his trade in Belarus and he would be the very first Uzbek ever to play in the Premier League, there were plenty of unknowns at the time.

Just 18 months on and still very much in the early years of his senior career, there’s no doubt now about Khusanov’s credentials.

With a fleet of foot that wouldn’t look out of place in the Olympics and an upper body strength to match any of the modern game’s burliest forwards, it was immediately apparent that he had all the physical attributes to make it in English football.

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With a difficult debut out the way, he started five more games in the Premier League in 2024/25 – including important victories over Newcastle and Spurs.

There was plenty to learn on the way, not least when and how to best use his natural talents, but Pep Guardiola and his team-mates were constantly effusive in praise about his dedication and willingness to absorb information.

But it was the second half of the most recent campaign that really saw our warrior step to the fore.

Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol had been the preferred pair at the back in the early months of 2025/26 but when both were forced off injured in the same game, Khusanov took the challenge of new-found seniority head on.

He played all but three of the remaining Premier League games, beat Newcastle, Liverpool and Chelsea in the FA Cup and didn’t miss a minute in the League Cup from the quarter-finals onwards.

His express pace even allowed City to push ever higher up the pitch safe in the knowledge that the No.45 would beat any opponent in a straight foot race should we lose the ball and it be played over the top.

That was required on numerous occasions, with the Etihad crowd responding by bellowing “Khuuuuuus” every time.

In fact, he has quickly become a crowd favourite amongst the locals as well as the star attraction for visitors from his Central Asian homeland, where he is something of a hero for his part in their World Cup qualification.

While that tournament in North America ended abruptly for Uzbekistan, football in his home country, his own personal stardom and his development on the pitch all appear to be going overwhelmingly in the same direction.

Upwards.