Man City 'doing everything they can' to beat Tottenham to defender signing
Man City have been given encouragement in the race to sign Abdukodir Khusanov as Lens will not stand in his way if the right offer arrives, sources have told Football Insider.
Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider's Inside Track podcast, senior correspondent Pete O'Rourke revealed that City will do "everything they can" to sign a new centre-back this month and are prepared to make a move.
This comes after Football Insider revealed Spurs were set to accelerate their plans to sign a centre-back in January, with Khusanov one of the names on their list.
The 20-year-old has established himself as one of the most highly-rated young defenders in Europe after making 16 appearances across all competitions so far this season.
Despite his young age, the Uzbekistan centre-back has earned 18 senior caps and has now established himself as a regular for both club and country.
There are high hopes for his future, with Europe's elite clubs keeping tabs on his progress, and City are now prepared to make him the latest addition to Pep Guardiola's side.
Man City race Tottenham to sign Lens star Abdukodir Khusanov
City have been preparing to sign a new centre-back in January amid their continuous defensive struggles which have played a key part in their shock drop in form.
Khusanov is seen as a promising option, and his availability given Lens' financial situation has put the Premier League outfit in a strong position to secure his signature.
It has been said that, should a deal be agreed this month, the defender will be given time to bed in as a rotational option before growing into a key first-team role.
Similar has been seen with City's previous signings who are allowed to bed in and adapt to the Premier League slowly rather than being thrust into the high-pressure environment.
At 20 years old, there are questions about whether he is ready for the move to City, but his performances at a high level in Ligue 1 have impressed the club's scouting department.
In other news, latest on Omar Marmoush's future after new talks.
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