Man City Agree £33.6m Deal For Lens Defender, Abdulkadir Khusanov

Manchester City have agreed to a 40 million euros (£33.6 million) deal with Lens for central defender Abdulkadir Khusanov.

Sources with knowledge of the deal say there are additional bonus payments attached to the sale, with the player due to undergo a medical before the transfer is officially confirmed.

City manager Pep Guardiola has been determined to strengthen his squad after a difficult couple of months that have seen the defending Premier League champions slip to sixth in the table—and 12 points behind leaders Liverpool.

The club are also in negotiations with Brazilian side Palmeiras for teenage defender Vitor Reis, although the club’s president has been quoted as saying reports they are keen to cash in on the 18-year-old are “not correct.”.

In addition, City are keen on Egypt forward Omar Marmoush following the 25-year-old’s impressive displays for Eintracht Frankfurt this season.

Khusanov will become the first Uzbekistan player to join a Premier League club once his move is completed. He will also be City’s first significant January signing since the arrival of Aymeric Laporte in 2018.

It underlines Guardiola’s determination to reverse City’s fortunes and address a chronic injury situation that has left him without a succession of defenders during the first half of the campaign.

Ruben Dias has not featured since the derby defeat by Manchester United on 15 December and has been ruled out of Saturday’s FA Cup third-round tie with League Two side Salford City.

Ebriku John Friday