Man City Sign Abdukodir Khusanov for €50 Million—Premier League's First Uzbek Player

Jan 20, 2025, 06:07 PM

Manchester City have completed the signing of Uzbekistan international defender Abdukodir Khusanov from French club RC Lens. The 20-year-old has signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with the Premier League champions, keeping him at the club until June 2029. The transfer fee is reported to be around €40 million plus €10 million in bonuses, marking a significant profit for RC Lens, who had acquired Khusanov for just €100,000 a year and a half ago. Khusanov becomes the first Uzbek player to join a Premier League club. Renowned for his speed—being compared to Usain Bolt—and his formidable strength earning him the nickname "tank," Khusanov is expected to bolster Manchester City's defence. He will wear the number 45 shirt, previously donned by Mario Balotelli. Expressing his excitement about the move, Khusanov said, "I'm delighted to be joining Man City, a club I've enjoyed watching for a long time. Pep Guardiola is one of the greatest coaches ever, and I'm so excited to learn from him and improve even more. This is a very proud moment for me."