Manchester City have reportedly agreed a deal worth €40m (£33.6m) to sign Lens centre-back Abdukodir Khusanov, although that is not expected to be the end of the deal. your mid-season investment.
Khusanov, a 20-year-old Uzbekistan international who only joined Lens for a paltry €100,000 (£84,000) 18 months ago, had sparked interest Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur this month. The 6’1 right-footer fringed the fringes of the French club’s first-team squad last season after making the significant jump from Belarusian side Energetik-BGU Minsk in 2023.
Now an established cog at the heart of Will Still’s defensive backline, Khusanov is reportedly set to sign a four-and-a-half-year deal at Manchester City. The Athletic.
The arrival of a crude plant is just the first step in what promises to be a busy January window Pep GuardiolaChampions out of category.
City are ‘close’ to completing a deal for Eintracht Frankfurt striker Omar Marmoush Fabrizio Romano reports A move for the former Liverpool target appeared to have stalled after the Bundesliga club set up a high price of €80m (£67m).. However, City had agreed personal terms with Marmoush and are now “progressing rapidly” in discussions with the club over an appropriate fee.
An official announcement could be made as early as next week.
Romano claims Guardiola sees Marmoush as the “perfect player to replace Julián Álvarez”. The Argentine World Cup winner was sold to Atlético de Madrid during the summer for a sum of £81.5 million. Aging attacking midfielder Ilkay Gundogan was the only player to arrive at the Etihad in the summer window who shared any of the same characteristics as Alvarez.
Without another attacking outlet, the goal-scoring burden has fallen on the broad shoulders of Erling Haaland. The city’s prolific number nine boasts an impressive 16 Premier League goals this season, but left-back Josko Gvardiol is the club’s second-highest scorer with just four. Mateo Kovacic (three) is the only other player with more than a couple of top-flight goals this season.
Marmoush had 13 goals in his first 15 Bundesliga matches – a number only surpassed by Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane this season.
The city is there too advanced discussions with Palmeiras centre-back Vitor Reis as Guardiola’s side turn to the transfer market in a desperate attempt to salvage a season that currently sees them slip to sixth in the Premier League table.
