Transfer fee, contract length, first reactions, shirt number: Manchester City sign Abdukodir Khusanov from RC Lens | OneFootball

Manchester City have officially announced the signing of Uzbekistan international centre-back, Abdukodir Khusanov from RC Lens.

The 20-year-old centre-back becomes the Premier League champions’ first official recruit of the winter market, as Txiki Begiristain and his colleagues make a strong start to a calendar year that is widely viewed as one of a rebuild within the Etihad Stadium.

Khusanov’s move to the Etihad Stadium caps off a meteoric rise to the very summit of European football, having been starring in Uzbekistan’s own football divisions just over two years ago.

Starting his football career within the youth teams of Uzbek club Bunyodkor up until the age of 18, Khusanov then moved to Belarusian side Energetik-BGU in March 2022 and by the end of the 22/23 campaign, was ranked among a list of the most promising players under 20.

Following a breakthrough campaign in Belarusian football, Khusanov went on to join RC Lens in Ligue 1 for a low-cost fee and signing a four-year contract in the process. A first UEFA outing would come in November 2023 at the age of just 19 against Arsenal.

And with Manchester City having monitored the player for some time, the club have acted fast to ensure that competition from the likes of Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, as well as Real Madrid from further afield, would not affect their plans this month.

After Pep Guardiola’s side confirmed their first addition of the January transfer window, here is everything you need to know about the arrival of Abdukodir Khusanov to Premier League champions Manchester City!

What are the terms of Abdukodir Khusanov’s transfer from RC Lens to Manchester City?

RC Lens and Manchester City are understood to have agreed a €40 million fee plus add-ons for the transfer of Abdukodir Khusanov over to English football, with the player penning a four-and-a-half year contract at the Etihad Stadium.

That initial contract signed by the central defender is also understood to have the option to extend by a further 12 months within the deal, presumably based on his success within the Manchester City side over the coming seasons.

What has Abdukodir Khusanov said upon signing for Manchester City?

Abdukodir Khusanov said upon joining Manchester City, “I’m absolutely delighted to be joining Manchester City, a club that I have enjoyed watching for a long time. This squad is full of the best players in the world, and I can’t wait to meet them and play alongside them.

“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.”

What has Txiki Begiristain said about the signing of Abdukodir Khusanov?

Manchester City’s Director of Football told the club’s official website, “We’re very happy he has joined us, and we are all very excited about what he will bring. For such a young defender, Abdukodir is already very intelligent, as well as being strong, aggressive and extremely quick.

“Working with Pep (Guardiola) will only make him better and, speaking to him, he is determined to keep improving. He is a really exciting signing as we aim to keep progressing to maintain one of the best squads in Europe.”

What shirt number has Abdukodir Khusanov selected at Manchester City?

As revealed in leaked images last week, Manchester City have now confirmed that Abdukodir Khusanov has adopted the club’s number 45 shirt – last worn regularly by the iconic Italian striker, Mario Balotelli.

Some may also remember that Micah Richards also donned the number 45 jersey upon his breakthrough into the Manchester City first-team set-up back in 2005, scoring a memorable club-first goal at Villa Park in that shirt.

Are there any clauses included in Abdukodir Khusanov’s Manchester City contract?

As things stand, the presence of any clauses embedded into Abdukodir Khusanov’s agreement at Manchester City or with RC Lens themselves remain unknown. Any updates to that situation will be available on cityxtra.co.uk and our social channels.

When could Abdukodir Khusanov make his Manchester City debut?

As per UEFA rules, Abdukodir Khusanov will not be able to be added into Manchester City’s squad list for the league phase of the ongoing Champions League campaign, preventing him from a debut against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night.

However, there will be an opportunity for matchday involvement immediately afterwards, as Chelsea visit the Etihad Stadium on Saturday evening for a hugely important clash in the Premier League when it comes to the race for a top-four place this season.

Are there any more signings to come after Abdukodir Khusanov?

Manchester City have finalised agreements for two more players after the arrival of the Uzbekistan international, with an official announcement of Vitor Reis’ signing from Palmeiras expected in the coming hours.

Omar Marmoush is also expected to undergo a Manchester City medical very soon having seen the club and Eintracht Frankfurt reach an agreement over a €75 million financial package to bring the Egyptian international to England.

City could yet explore a move for a new defensive midfielder this window too, having largely failed to find a solution to Rodri’s extended absence through injury, and Juventus’ Douglas Luiz is among the names being considered for a short-term loan move.