The first Uzbek in the Premier League: key details about Khusainov's transfer.

The footballer who transferred from "Lance" to an English club has chosen the number 45, which was previously worn by Mario Balotelli. In an interview with the club's website, he explained that he picked this number because he began his professional career in Belarus, playing under the number 45.

In the interview, Khuasanov expressed his eagerness to step onto the pitch alongside the best players in the world and considers Pep Guardiola one of the greatest coaches of all time. He expressed confidence that he would learn a lot from Guardiola to enhance his game. "It is a great honor for me and my family to join such a prestigious club, and I am ready for this challenge," the footballer added.

15 clubs showed interest in the player, including "Real"

Khuasanov began to stand out at the start of the new season and became the leader of Lance's defense. By December, he had already attracted the attention of top European clubs. Initially, French media reported interest from Chelsea and Newcastle. By January, Sky Sports added Manchester City to the list of contenders, while the Spanish publication AS mentioned Real Madrid. There were also reports about clubs like Juventus, Milan, Bayer, Borussia, Tottenham, Leipzig, and others — totaling around 15 clubs.

It soon became clear that the main contenders were Real and City. The Manchester club is conducting large-scale transfer campaigns this winter, preparing to spend 200 million euros to strengthen the squad. Khuasanov became part of this strategy and was brought in to address issues in the center of defense.

"Real" also needed a defender: Eder Militao's injury left the club without a key player. However, candidates like Mickey van de Ven from Tottenham and Castello Lukeba from Leipzig were deemed too expensive (starting from 60 million euros).

The financial aspect likely played a decisive role in City's success. According to reputable insider Fabrizio Romano, the Manchester club will pay "Lance" 40 million euros, with bonuses potentially raising the total to 50 million. "Real" probably could not offer similar terms.

Why did top clubs compete for Khuasanov?

The Uzbekistan national team defender boasts outstanding statistics. Khuasanov is the best in Europe for interceptions (averaging 2.54 per 90 minutes), one of the leaders in successful duels (averaging 2.44 per 90 minutes), and is known for his high speed — his maximum speed this season reached 37 km/h. He reads the game well, fearlessly challenges for the ball, and effectively tackles without committing fouls.

Even compared to City's defenders, Khuasanov shows better statistical results. Across all metrics, he outperforms Stones, Akanji, and Dias. For example, Khuasanov ranks in the top 1% of the best players in Europe for interceptions. Dias, who leads among City's defenders in blocking passes, averages 0.99 such actions per match, while Khuasanov averages 2.4. In aerial duels, Stones is the best in the team with an average of 1.64 per game, but Khuasanov's figure reaches 2.58.

However, he has some weaknesses: Khuasanov is not considered a playmaker and does not yet fully meet the modern requirements for defenders who must actively participate in attacking plays.

The reason for this is that Abdulkodir did not have the opportunity to develop creativity in previous clubs, where the focus was primarily on disrupting the opposition's play.

Nevertheless, he is young and will easily adapt to team play during training. Moreover, his transfer was personally requested by Josep Guardiola.

Rapid Rise

Abdulkodir Khuasanov's story is impressive. His father, footballer Hikmat Khoshimov, played for "Metallurg" for many years and made 15 appearances for the Uzbekistan national team. To protect his son from excessive attention, the father gave him the surname of his grandfather. Abdulkodir took inspiration from his father from a young age, who prevented him from falling victim to "celebrity syndrome."

When Khuasanov was 16, the coaches of "Bunyodkor" deemed his potential insufficient, and he left the club. But Abdulkodir did not give up: he went to Belarus, where he began training with "Energetik-BGU." At 18, he became a key player for the team.

Simultaneously, he showcased his talent in various age categories of the Uzbekistan national teams, attracting the attention of European scouts. In 2023, "Lance" acquired him for 100,000 euros.

Since then, Khuasanov's market value on Transfermarkt has skyrocketed — from 400,000 euros in 2023 to 40 million euros in 2025. And "Manchester City" does not spend such sums frivolously.

Khuasanov has become the first Uzbek player in the history of the English Premier League. Now, his performances and those of "Manchester City" will be closely followed not only in Uzbekistan but also in all countries of Central Asia.