Man City join race to sign “excellent” £25m defender in January

With the January transfer window well and truly underway, Manchester City have unsurprisingly wasted no time before turning their attention to some much-needed reinforcements for Pep Guardiola.

Man City transfer news

Sat outside the Premier League‘s top four and entering 2025 off the back of just their second win in 13 games in all competitions courtesy of a 2-0 victory over Leicester City, the Citizens are enduring their worst-ever campaign under Guardiola. They’ve been hit from all angles, with an ageing squad catching up to them and injuries piling higher than they’ve ever done in the last nine years.

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For the first time in what feels like forever, Manchester City are desperate for reinforcements in order to turn their season around once and for all. Signing a replacement for the injured Rodri will undoubtedly sit top of their list of priorities, with the likes of Martin Zubimendi already threatening to steal the headlines as a result, but Guardiola needs more than one reinforcement this month.

All it takes is one glance at the Spaniard’s defensive options to realise just how much Manchester City could do with an overhaul. Kyle Walker is 34 years old and has shown signs that he could be past his best, John Stones remains injury-prone and is also now in his 30s, and the same will be able to be said about Nathan Ake this time next year.

So, one particular transfer rumour should come as little surprise. According to Fabrizio Romano, Manchester City have now joined the race to sign Abdukodir Khusanov from RC Lens in the January transfer window.

Competing against a number of other top clubs, Guardiola and Manchester City will hope to convince the young central defender, valued at £25m, and commence a much-needed rebuild in the process.

“Excellent” Khusanov would ease Man City’s defensive issue

Whilst it’s unlikely that Khusanov would come straight into Guardiola’s starting side if the likes of Stones and Ake were passed fit, recent injury issues open the door of opportunity for the young defender to instantly make his mark if he completes a January switch. At just 20 years old, he’d certainly solve City’s problem of an ageing backline in a deal focused on a future star who could play a part for years to come.

Khusanov has already earned plenty of fans throughout what is still a young career, including Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, who described Lens star as “an excellent” centre-back and “the future legend of Uzbek football” at the end of last year.

City have had no trouble in convincing players in the past and they may now look to use that pull power once again to win the race for Khusanov’s signature this month.