Unusual prospect Khusanov: Pep admits he's best Man City signing in years

Just a few months ago, Abdukodir Khusanov was a name familiar only to the most dedicated football followers. At RC Lens in France, he had shown promise, but nothing that set the football world alight. That changed entirely when Manchester City secured his transfer in January. The 21-year-old Uzbek moved for around 40 million euros – a figure that initially raised eyebrows and prompted some pundits to label the signing as risky.

Fast forward to today, and it’s clear that City’s bold decision is paying dividends. After a short period of adaptation, Khusanov has become a key figure in Pep Guardiola’s lineup, now considered an essential part of the starting eleven.

"He can play as a center-back; I'd say he can play all positions in defense, except left-back," Guardiola remarked. At present, the Spaniard has been utilizing him at right-back, a role in which he has started each of the last two matches.

Khusanov’s performance was particularly eye-catching in the top-of-the-table clash against Arsenal, which ended 1-1. Though he was substituted at halftime due to injury, he had fully dominated his flank until then.

His replacement, Matheus Nunes, performed admirably but was no match for Khusanov’s level. The Manchester Evening News drew a decisive conclusion: "After just five Premier League games, he already looks like someone City can't afford to substitute in big games if at all possible."

Guardiola went even further in his praise: "He's not a player who creates many chances up front, but he has incredible vision. He's solid and stable. He's incredibly focused. He's an incredible signing, one of the best this club has had in many years. This player will have a career at this club for many years," he said ahead of the League Cup tie against Huddersfield Town.

Although Khusanov is still early in his development—his outing against Arsenal marked only his tenth Premier League appearance—there are already strong signs that Manchester City have struck gold with this young defender.