Abdukodir Khusanov has had quite the 18 months at Manchester City and on Saturday, the defender signed a new five-year contract with the club, which was thoroughly deserved.
Following a shaky debut against Chelsea, Abdukodir Khusanov has kept his head down at the Etihad Stadium and produced plenty of solid performances at the back.
Man City's fixtures are out! What was the first game you looked for? 👀
Last term, he took advantage of injuries picked up by Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias to really nail down his place.
And the partnership he built with Marc Guehi in the second half of 2025/26 was definitely one of the highlights of City’s season.
Now, with the backing of a new deal, Khusanov has everything he needs to go and become a City great.
- Who is Abdukodir Khusanov? The new Man City centre-back who is already a fan favourite
Why Abdukodir Khusanov could become a Manchester City great
Some were fearful that City had wasted their money after watching Khusanov for the very first time against Chelsea.
The youngster was thrown in at the deep end, and a mistake after just four minutes was the nightmare scenario. He also picked up a booking.
He was replaced in the 52nd minute of that game, and rival fans got a real kick out of Khusanov’s miserable outing.
But they weren’t to know that that would actually be the making of Khusanov, and pave the way for a fantastic next 18 months.
Just a few weeks after that debut, Khusanov put in a very respectable performance playing at right-back against Real Madrid. He was up against Vinicius Jr no less, but gave the Brazilian very little in the game.
Kylian Mbappe grabbed a hat-trick that night with City unable to deal with him. But Khusanov was one of his side’s best players and kept Vinicius quiet.
He was then handed appearances here and there in 2024/25 by Pep Guardiola, but it wasn’t until the 2025/26 campaign that he really started to shine.
Abdukodir Khusanov has signed a new deal until 2031! ✍️ What have you made of his time at Man City so far?
That shaky debut vs Chelsea feels a lifetime ago now 😅
In the second half of the season, he was thrust into the backline amid injuries to Dias and Gvardiol, and became a dominant figure at the back alongside new signing Guehi.
After a defeat to Manchester United in January 17, City then didn’t lose again in the Premier League until the final day, a stretch of 15 games. Khusanov started 10 of those games, and missed that final-day defeat to Aston Villa.
What has become increasingly apparent watching Khusanov is just how confident and comfortable he is now, compared to when he first signed.
His debut no doubt shook him. But he has recovered in spectacular fashion and last season, he was one of City’s most consistent performers.
He is already building a cult following for how impressive he is, while being so understated at the same time.
It is so brilliant to watch him use his pace and aggression to shut down opposite attacks, and then, in another phase, gracefully knock the ball around like a lot of his City teammates.
There are still occasions when Khusanov is guilty of being a bit lax. But those moments are becoming more and more rare, and more often than not he can bail himself out with that astonishing recovery pace of his.
Of late, he has been playing with total freedom, with that debut undoubtedly having shaped him into the monstrous defender he is today.
Having now developed into one of the Premier League’s best centre-backs, there is every chance that Khusanov could genuinely go on to become a City great.
He’s signed a new five-year deal, keeping him at the club until 2031. If he can continue on this trajectory and help his side win more trophies, then there is no reason why he can’t be seen like Vincent Kompany and John Stones when all is said and done.
