Manchester City have reportedly agreed a €40m deal to sign Lens centre-back Abdukodir Khusanov, although that is not expected to be the end of their mid-season investment.
Khusanov, a 20-year-old from Uzbekistan, who joined Lens for just a paltry €100,000 (£84,000) 18 months ago, had attracted interest from Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur this month. The 6'1 right-footer moved to the fringes of the French club's first team last season after making a major move from Belarusian side Energetik-BGU Minsk in 2023.
Now an established cog at the heart of Will Still's defensive rearguard, Khusanov is set to sign a four-and-a-half-year contract with Manchester City, according to Athletics.
The arrival of a raw centre-back is just the first move in what promises to be a busy January window for Pep Guardiola's extraordinary champions.
City are close to completing a deal for Eintracht Frankfurt striker Omar Marmoush. Fabrizio Romano reports. A move for the former Liverpool target appears to have stalled after the Bundesliga club decided a asking price of €80m (£67m).. However, City had agreed personal terms with Marmoush and are now “progressing rapidly” in discussions with the club about a suitable fee.
An official announcement could be made next week.
Romano claims Guardiola sees Marmoush as “the perfect player to replace Julian Alvarez”. The Argentine World Cup winner was sold Atletico Madrid in the summer for a sum of £81.5 million. Senior attacking midfielder Ilkay Gundogan was the only player to arrive at the Etihad in the summer window who shared the same characteristics as Alvarez.
Without another attack, the burden of goals has fallen on the broad shoulders of Erling Haaland. City's number nine boasts an impressive 16 Premier League goals this season, but left-back Josko Guardiol is the club's second-highest scorer with just four goals. Mateo Kovacic (three) is the only other player with more than a pair of top goals this season.
Marmoush scored 13 goals in his first 15 Bundesliga matches – a number only beaten by Bayern Munich's Harry Kane this season.
The city is also inside advanced discussions with Palmeiras centre-back Vitor Reis as Guardiola's side return to the transfer market in a desperate bid to salvage a season that currently sees them slumping to sixth in the Premier League table.