The player seems to have no airs and graces and is unlikely to kick up a fuss about not playing every game. Guardiola revealed that Khusanov doesn’t bring a wash bag to matches, as his only focus is playing. Previous club Lens were also impressed with his maturity after signing him for just €100,000 aged 19.
“I was surprised that he looked and played as if he was not 19, but 25 years old,” said then-coach Franck Haise. “He acts like a ready-made, adult player. He surprised us with his technical ability and physical power.”
Uzbekistan coach Fabio Cannavaro, the last defender to win the Ballon d’Or after captaining Italy to World Cup glory in 2026, called Khusanov, “certainly one of the most representative players of the national team, a leader to follow despite being only 22 years old. A kind of compass pointing the way”.
Khusanov might appear shy and of few words, but his actions, be it haring down on opponents or delivering full-throttle tackles, speak loudly. And people are sitting up and taking notice. The chattering City fans on the train can expect many more moments to savour from their own baby-faced assassin.
