Pep Guardiola: Man City eyed a move for Abdukodir Khusanov all season

The Premier League champions completed the transfer of the Uzbek defender from French club Lens for a significant fee of 33 million pounds.

Khusanov, already making waves as one of Uzbekistan's most promising talents, rose to prominence during his time in Ligue 1 with Lens.

His solid defensive displays and maturity on the pitch attracted attention from Europe's elite clubs. However, it was Manchester City who secured his signature, further strengthening their squad as they target success on all fronts.

"We've known about Khusanov since the beginning of the season. For the situation with Jon, Ruben and Nathan, we decided to go to the market," said Guardiola.

"They have said this a player for the next years, because we don't sign players for one year. We saw his specific qualities that we don't have, and I'm sure he's going to help us.

"He's young, he's going to learn. Of course, it's always better to do it in summer to have pre-season, but having more potential on the bench or playing every three days, that's good for us."

The 20-year-old centre-back is expected to add depth to City's defence and is seen as a long-term investment for the club.

Fans are eagerly anticipating Khusanov's debut, with hopes that he can adapt quickly to Guardiola's demanding system. 

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