Newcastle United have officially missed out on the signing of Abdukodir Khusanov to Manchester City.
The Magpies have been in the market for a centre-back this month, with Abdukodir Khusanov on Paul Mitchell’s radar.
Newcastle held talks about signing Khusanov, and at one point in time it felt like a deal was possible.
It was claimed that Khusanov was interested in joining Newcastle, only for the goalposts to move.
Newcastle were miffed when Khusanov’s price tag increased, as Jorge Mendes aimed to secure the best deal possible for RC Lens.
He did exactly that, with the 20-year-old centre-back joining Manchester City for £33.8million. The Uzbekistan international has signed a four-and-a-half year deal with Pep Guardiola’s side.
Abdukodir Khusanov explains why he signed for Manchester City
Eddie Howe’s side have missed out, while Manchester City have acquired one of the brightest defensive prospects in Europe.
Following his arrival at the Etihad Stadium, Khusanov has spoken to Man City’s official YouTube channel. He was asked why he decided to sign for the Premier League champions.
“The team is one of the major teams in football and the coach is among the best,” he said.
“That’s why I’m here.”
Newcastle United forced to look elsewhere as PSR problems persist
It initially looked like Newcastle were in a strong position to pull off a transfer coup and sign Khusanov from Lens.
However, the mood suddenly shifted. David Ornstein claimed that Khusanov to Newcastle was unlikely, with the Magpies’ PSR problems set to ensure that a deal was not financially viable.
That has been a constant theme throughout the January transfer window for Newcastle United, and it looks likely to continue despite the imminent departure of Miguel Almiron.
While Eddie Howe really needs reinforcements, it feels like the club will hold off on any major transfer business until the summer. That gives Paul Mitchell plenty of time to identify an alternative centre-back, while he will also continue to search for a right winger.
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