Abdukodir Khusanov receives advice from Manchester City legend over succeeding at Etihad Stadium | OneFootball

One of Manchester City’s legendary former defenders and a previous club captain has spoken openly on Abdukodir Khusanov’s future prospects at the Etihad Stadium.

As the young Uzbek continues his development in Pep Guardiola’s first-team, conversations around his long-term trajectory at City have intensified having arrived as a project player with enormous physical upside – and the club believe his ceiling could be one of Europe’s top modern defenders.

The 21-year-old faces heavy competition for minutes among the defensive ranks at the club, operating in a squad packed with elite defensive talent and international experience, but offering versatility to star at right-back, too.

Yet even amid limited opportunities, Manchester City staff have been left impressed by his mentality, athleticism, and willingness to adapt to Pep Guardiola’s complex defensive requirements, particularly during the biggest of occasions.

Khusanov has already produced several encouraging performances in sky blue, including confident displays during the second-half of the last campaign and the opening months of the new season, before injury would somewhat hinder his availability.

Speaking during a new interview with Betway, Manchester City legend Richard Dunne was quizzed on what advice he would give to the club’s current rising central defensive star Abdukodir Khusanov in order to succeed at the club.

“It’s about that settling-in period, and some adjust quicker than others. I think Khusanov can still look slightly surprised by the pace of the league. He’s really quick, but sometimes he can be a little quick to make decisions and make tackles, but with experience he will improve that,” Dunne insisted.

He continued, “Obviously, City aren’t as dominant as they have been in previous years, so it’s probably not the time to be giving younger defenders their opportunity in the team. But over the course of the season, he will get enough games where he is learning and improving.

“The players he’s training with daily will also help him along. I think he has to be patient because he’s at one of the top clubs in world football. He’s not going to walk into the team. He has to convince the manager and improve on his decision-making processes in games.”

The former City captain went on to explain on the Uzbekistan international, “He’s got all the physical attributes to be a really good defender, and I’m sure the manager is helping him all the way through, explaining his positioning and what the right way to win the ball back is.

“So, I think he was bought as a player for the future, and I still think he’s in that sort of mould where he’s not quite at the elite level, but he’s shown signs that he can certainly get there.”

Abdukodir Khusanov’s trajectory will likely continue to blend first-team training exposure with carefully managed minutes across competitions. With John Stones in particular battling fitness at times, opportunities could arise naturally across a congested schedule.

For now, patience and incremental progress remain the focus, and Richard Dunne’s words align strongly with the club’s long-term plan that Khusanov is seen as a defender who may not be fully ready today to start every single match, but possesses the tools to become a key figure for Manchester City in the years to come.