Having won the English Premier League title four times in a row between 2021 and 2024, setting a historic record, Manchester City has taken a completely different path in the last two seasons. The team is now working not only for results, but also in the mode of restructuring the lineup, carrying out a change of generations, and laying the foundation for "tomorrow."
Pep Guardiola saw the best way out of the crisis that occurred in the fall of 2024 in the squad renewal. And this process symbolically began with the arrival of Abdukodir Khusanov from Lens on January 20, 2025. In the next two transfer windows, the club spared no expense on large purchases - the formation of a new portrait of City began.
What will two big purchases in January give?
In the first month of 2026, the Citizens managed to sign Antoine Semeno, a prominent goal contributor in the Premier League. Manchester United paid Bournemouth £62.5 million, dramatically increasing competition and options in attack.
Soon after, Mark Gexi, one of the strongest central defenders in the English Premier League, joined the team. With six months remaining on his contract with Crystal Palace, City spent over £20 million on the player. This acquisition is also considered a step towards stabilizing the team's most painful point - the defensive line.
Semeno - for revitalizing the attack, Gexi - for organizing the defense. Especially at a time when injuries are severely testing Pep's team in terms of resources, these transfers seem like necessary decisions "both now and later."
The lack of defense put Husanov back in the lead
It was the lack of personnel in the defense that brought Abdukodir Khusanov back from the bench to the main squad. A tandem of Khusanov and Max Alleyn, who returned from a loan spell at Watford, has formed in the City center.
The Uzbek defender, who has lived up to the club's expectations for a year, filled the gap in the right wing defense in the first half of the season, and now he is becoming one of the most reliable figures in the center. In short, the situation pushed him from the "third option" to the "main player" position.
Although Allen started his City debut well, he lacked experience in subsequent games. In particular, it was noted that the first two goals in the Champions League defeat to "Budø-Glimt" were attributed to the mistakes of the 20-year-old defender. This further increased Husanov's importance in the team: he began to appear stronger in terms of stability and error-free play.
Who else will "City" take? There is an answer to the question
The fans' main question is simple: "Who else will come now?" This issue was clarified by Sam Lee, a journalist for The Athletic, a prestigious publication.
He announced that Manchester City is not planning to bring any new players for the main squad for the remainder of the January 2026 transfer window. The club's management was satisfied with the recent acquisitions: Semeno and Gexi were priority goals, and addressing them early would significantly ease the pressure around Guardiola.
Now the focus will be on exiting transfers
Now, City's attention is increasingly focused on players who are likely to leave. In particular, European clubs are showing interest in Oscar Bobb, who failed to secure his place in the starting lineup. According to the latest reports, Fulham are looking to sign him with a £35 million offer. At the same time, Borussia Dortmund is closely monitoring the situation.
The goalkeepers issue is also interesting. With the arrival of Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain, James Trafford has lost his starting position, and Stefan Ortega has been without playing time for a long time. However, it's natural that the Citizens won't release two guards at the same time. According to sources, the club intends to part ways with the 33-year-old German goalkeeper and keep Trafford at least until the summer.
The situation in defense has also changed. Initially, there were rumors that Nathan Ake might leave, but after the injuries of John Stones, Ruben Dias, and Yoshko Guardiol, the club brought the Dutch defender back through the "gateway" - now every defender is worth gold.
Conclusion
Based on the current situation, Manchester City isn't expecting any more major acquisitions this month. The main intrigue is exit transfers and competition within the squad.
But for us, the most important thing is something else: Abdukodir Khusanov needs to make the right use of the situation in the team and further strengthen his position in the main squad. Such an opportunity doesn't come every day. Now City is entering a new era - and Khusanov could become an important part of that era.
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