The renewal process, based on the younger generation, is fully underway at Manchester City. This process began on January 20th of this year with the arrival of Abdukodir Khusanov from Lens. Since then, the coaching staff, led by Josep Guardiola, has renewed almost all positions within two transfer windows.
However, the main issue that still needs to be addressed in the team remains right-wing defense. Rico Lewis and Mateusz Nunes were tested in this position, but their defensive skills did not reach Kyle Walker's level. As a result, the Citizens suffered two defeats at the start of the season, forcing Guardiola to seek a new solution.
At that time, the name of Abdukodir Khusanov, originally a central defender, rose. The 21-year-old Uzbek footballer successfully covered the right wing defense in several important matches before getting injured. It is noted that his stability in position and defensive behavior are significantly higher than that of Lewis and Nunes.
Therefore, Manchester City's management and coaching staff recently postponed the acquisition of a new right-back. This decision will be related to monitoring Khusanov's performance after the injury. If he returns to his previous form quickly, the team may not need a new transfer.
At the same time, Newcastle defender Tino Livramento is reportedly on Guardiola's transfer list. However, the probability of this transaction coming to fruition is low. The reason is that Newcastle recently appointed Ross Wilson as sporting director, and he now has a priority task of signing new contracts with team's leading players Sven Botman and Livramento.
If the Crows can renew the deal with these two players, it's almost impossible for them to move to another club. So, "City" is currently focusing on the revival of the young talent in their ranks - Abdukodir Khusanov.
In turn, the English press reports that Guardiola placed great trust in Khusanov. According to him, the young defender suits the team's style not only technically but also in terms of tactical understanding. Therefore, City's future defense might be built around Husanov.
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