Abdukоdir Khusanov's difficult start at Manchester City: experts believe in him

The debut of the brilliant defender of the national team of Uzbekistan Abdukоdir Khusanov in the English Premier League did not start as successfully as expected. The young player, who moved from the French club Lens to Manchester City for 33 million pounds in the winter transfer window of 2025, is facing difficulties in adapting to the English championship.

Khusanov has only played in 9 matches for his team to date. It is noteworthy that he was left on the bench in the last eight matches. This situation has attracted the attention of many fans and raised various questions about the future of the player at the club.

Roy Keane: "This is a natural adaptation phase"

One of the famous representatives of English football, former player Roy Keane, reacted to this situation with a realistic approach:

"Khusanov's unsuccessful start at City is not a tragedy. It is not easy to get used to a new country, a new environment, a new language and colleagues. This is a normal adaptation process for a young player. I am sure that Abdukоdir will overcome this test and will show himself in the near future," he said in an interview with ITV.

The game against Bournemouth is the first sign of fatigue

Abdukоdir Khusanov was recognized as the best player in his team in February. However, after the national team training camp in March, in the match against Bournemouth, he clearly showed signs of fatigue. Abdukоdir, who failed to show himself in this match, was substituted after the first half. The good performance of Nico O'Reilly, who came on as his replacement, has further intensified the competition at City.

What are the reasons for the poor start?

According to the Daily Mail, Khusanov's performance was affected by the fact that he did not participate in regular training for more than a month before arriving in England. Due to the winter break in the French championship and the transfer-related processes, Khusanov did not have enough game practice.

He also had only one training session with his new team, and made a mistake in his debut match against Chelsea. This did not form a good first impression of him among the coach and fans.

Difficulty in fully understanding the English language and the coach's instructions is also cited as one of Khusanov's initial problems. However, he showed his potential in subsequent matches, including matches against Real Madrid in the Champions League and Liverpool in the Premier League.

Abdukоdir Khusanov is an important part of the club's future

Manchester City have high hopes for Khusanov. His youth and high potential have impressed the club's scouts. In particular, his friendship with Vitor Reis suggests that they could become the main pair in the City defense in the future.

At the same time, the team's defense is very competitive. Due to the successful performances of O'Reilly and the high-level play of the Dias-Guardiol pair, Pep Guardiola does not see the need for changes.

However, for the club's management, Khusanov is a great prospect. The most important thing is for the player to better master the language and fully adapt to the team's tactics. The summer training phase will be a new opportunity for Abdukоdir to show himself.

Undoubtedly, high hopes are pinned on the future of Abdukоdir Khusanov at Manchester City. Experts see him as one of the new stars to shine in the Premier League.

News