In an interview with Sport-Express, football agent Gayrat Khasbiullin, who represents Abdukodir Khusanov, shared the story of how his client ended up transferring to Manchester City.

When did you realize that Khusanov's transfer to City was becoming a reality? How did the negotiations go?

 — By late November, we knew City’s interest in Khusanov was serious. By early December, the English club had initiated discussions with Lens and us regarding a potential transfer.

Were there other options?

— At that time, half the teams in the Premier League contacted us about Khusanov.

Half?

— At one point, I counted 12 English clubs that had reached out.

Who was City’s main competitor?

— Newcastle. They stayed in the race until the end. It’s a great club with an exciting project and a bright future. I believe Newcastle will consistently be among the Premier League’s top six in the coming years. However, due to financial fair play and other factors, Newcastle couldn't make a concrete offer. Negotiations dragged on. Meanwhile, City applied pressure on both Lens and us, demanding a decision. Ultimately, we chose City, and the agreement was finalized.

What first caught Guardiola's attention about Khusanov?

— I think this question is better directed to Pep himself. He doesn’t share his thoughts with me (laughs). However, I understand that City was drawn to Khusanov as a young, physically strong defender who doesn’t shy away from duels. He’s fearless. Pep wanted such a defender. By all metrics, Khusanov ranks among the top five defenders in Europe under 23. In fact, all the clubs that contacted us had him at the top of their lists — not second, not third, but first!

Even at City?

— Yes, he was at the top of City’s shortlist too. Representatives from Newcastle even said, "We only need him — nobody else!"

Abbos Fayzullayev from CSKA recently mentioned that Khusanov can run at 35 km/h. Is he a rocket?

— Actually, it’s 37 km/h. I can’t recall the exact match, but during a game in the French league, he outran a Japanese striker at that speed. He’s also very strong in one-on-ones and holds his own against anyone. Just look at his stats from the first half of the season in Ligue 1 — they speak for themselves.

Has Khusanov’s career progressed too quickly? After all, in 2023, he was still playing for Energetik-BGU in Belarus.

— This simply shows that both he and those around him made all the right moves in developing his career. It means we made no mistakes.

Do you think City might consider loaning out Khusanov due to strong competition?

— Competition is a given, but my understanding is that Pep is rebuilding the team and wants the best young center-backs. Khusanov has never been afraid of fighting for a spot in the starting lineup. I don’t believe City paid €50 million just to loan him out. Otherwise, they could have bought him and left him on loan at Lens. The fact that they brought him in mid-season shows that Guardiola has immediate plans for him.

Agent Dmitry Selyuk claimed the transfer fee was not €40–50 million but rather closer to €20 million.

— The deal was €40 million plus €10 million in bonuses, totaling €50 million. This information has been widely reported.

Pavel Rodnenok, who coached Khusanov at Energetik-BGU, said he will dominate all competition at City. How mentally strong is he?

— When Lens coach Franck Haise saw him at 19, he said Khusanov played like a seasoned professional. There are no limits for him — he’s ready to face stars. He genuinely enjoys defending. If you watched Lens games, you’d know fans celebrated his tackles as much as goals. Every successful defensive action was met with thunderous applause.

What did Guardiola say to Khusanov in their first meeting?

— I was there. Pep told him, "I want you to learn English as quickly as possible so we can communicate better."

Is his English not good?

— He played in France, so he’s just starting to learn English. Pep told him, "Please study for at least an hour every day." Khusanov understands most instructions during training, but Guardiola emphasizes details and nuances, so better communication is essential.

Did Khusanov have offers from top Russian clubs when he was playing in Belarus?

— My partner Ulugbek Asanbayev and I manage him together. While there may have been interest from Russia, I focused solely on Europe. I don’t like discussing what didn’t happen.

Former CSKA sporting director Andrey Movsesyan said they almost signed Khusanov before Lens stepped in.

— Our priority was always Europe. Even when he was playing in Belarus, we often discussed this goal.

Why has an Uzbek defender reached City’s level, but Russian players haven’t?

— I can’t speak about Russian players; my focus is on our players.

Is Khusanov a phenomenon?

— He’s a very talented player, raised in the right environment, and trained properly. That’s how I’d describe him.