FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - AS Monaco v RC Lens - Stade Louis II, Monaco - September 1, 2024 RC Lens' Abdukodir Khusanov in action with AS Monaco's Maghnes Akliouche REUTERS/Manon Cruz/File Photo
(Reuters) - Manchester City have signed Uzbekistan central defender Abdukodir Khusanov from Ligue 1 side Lens on a four-and-a-half-year deal, the Premier League club announced on Monday.
British media said City had paid a transfer fee of 40 million euros ($41.56 million) for 20-year-old Khusanov, who has played in 13 of Lens' 16 league games this season.
"For such a young defender, Abdukodir is already very intelligent, as well as being strong, aggressive and extremely quick," City said in a statement.
The centre-back is the Premier League's first player from Uzbekistan.
Khusanov joined Lens from Belarusian side Energetik-BGU Minsk in 2023, playing 31 matches for the French team in all competitions.
($1 = 0.9625 euros)
(Reporting by Shifa Jahan in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)
