The 20-year-old has become Pep Guardiola's first signing of the January transfer window as the Premier League champions aim to bolster their defence
Sir Alex Ferguson once said that "attack wins you games, defence wins you titles", and as much is even true when it comes to a team with as much attacking flair as Manchester City. Of the six Premier League crowns City have won under Pep Guardiola, they have had the best defensive record on four occasions. And their struggles at the back are the best explanation of the current miserable defence of their title.
City have only the ninth-best defence in the league this season, having shipped 29 goals in 22 games. Even struggling Everton have a better defensive record than Guardiola's side, who have let in more goals already this season than over the entire course of their title-winning campaigns in 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2021-22.
Several City defenders (step forward Kyle Walker!) have struggled for form, but repeated injuries have been their biggest concern, with John Stones, Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake all missing big chunks of the season, prompting Guardiola to remark "We have no defence" after the derby defeat to Manchester United in December. Their ageing backline is another worry for City: Walker, Stones, Akanji and Ake will all be over the age of 30 by the end of the season.
It should be no surprise, then, that finding a new defender has been among City's top priorities in the January transfer window, and they have got a deal over the line by signing Lens' speedy and aggressive centre-back Abdukodir Khusanov. The 20-year-old was greatly admired among City's directors, with a £34 million ($42m) deal having now been struck to get him to the Etihad Stadium.
GOAL charts the rise of the young defender, who will become the first ever Uzbek player to appear in the Premier League…
Where it all began
Khusanov took his first steps in football at the academy of Uzbek side FK Bunyodkor, where his father Hikmat Hashimov, an Uzbek international, finished his career. His dream of following in the footsteps of his father, who is described as his idol, in turning out for Bunyodkor's first team was never realised, however, as Khusanov was written off by the club's coaches for being too small and thin.
After leaving Bunyodkor in 2022 aged 18, Khusanov instead joined Belarussian club Energetik-BGU, where he soon became a regular fixture in the starting line-up.
AdvertisementGettyThe big break
Not long after moving to Minsk, Khusanov enjoyed his first major success as Uzbekistan won the 2023 Under-20 Asian Cup on home soil, his side conceding just one goal all tournament. His performances led to him being named among the most promising defenders in the world by the CIES Football Observatory.
Khusanov took an even bigger step two months later at the U20 World Cup in Argentina, playing every minute as Uzbekistan reached the last 16 before being eliminated by Israel thanks to a goal deep in added time. Less than two months later ,he was snapped up by Lens, who signed him in the summer of 2023 for just €100,000 (£83,000/$104,000).
GettyHow it's going
Khusanov finished third in the Uzbek Footballer of the Year awards in 2023 and enjoyed a steady start to life with Lens, making 11 Ligue 1 appearances in his first season and two outings off the bench in the Champions League, including facing Arsenal. He also played for Uzkbekistan in last summer's Olympic Games in Paris, coming up against Spain among others.
He began to make a real name for himself this season, though, thanks to a surprise turn of events. When Lens centre-back Kevin Danso was on the verge of moving to Roma, Khusanov took his place in the team. Danso's dream move to the Italian capital collapsed, however, when he failed his medical due to a detection of a potential heart problem.
Danso was advised against training and playing while the heart issue was investigated, and Khusanov took full advantage, delivering a series of impressive performances in the Austrian's absence. Danso eventually returned to the team in October, but Khusanov kept his place in the starting XI, interrupting the long-standing trio of Danso, Jonathan Gradit, and Facundo Medina.
Khusanov and Danso have locked down their spots in the team, with Gradit and Medina competing for the third place. The change has not affected Lens' solidity as, despite being seventh in the table, they have the third-best defensive record in Ligue 1, having conceded just 18 goals as many games.
Biggest strengths
Khusanov is renowned for his brutish strength and fiercely competitive nature. Lens goalkeeper Brice Samba described him as "a monster who scares me" after a goalless draw at Nice earlier in the season, while journalist Narzulla Saydullaev told t: "In Uzbekistan, they say that being hit by a train or by Abdukodir is the same thing."
The defender also has astounding recovery pace. Late last year, a clip of him sprinting the length of the pitch to chase down Reims' Junya Ito, clocking 37kmph went viral.
While power, pace and aggression are his main assets, Khusanov is also known for his his tactical intelligence and his ability to begin attacks due to his quality on the ball and his tactical intelligence. Lens coach Will Still said: "He’s calm, powerful, he’s fast… He doesn’t talk but he’s good. When I arrived and it looked like Danso was leaving, Jean-Louis Leca [Lens’ sporting director] told me: ‘Don’t worry, Kodir is here and he’s ready.’ He wasn’t wrong. He has very, very impressive potential."
