Newcastle risk missing out on £25m deal as Man City join race - The Telegraph

Newcastle will face stiff competition if they want to sign defender Abdukodir Khusanov in the January window, with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City reportedly joining the race to sign the youngster.

As reported by The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath, Khusanov is “admired” by those at the Etihad, where he could be a potential starter given the repeat injuries to City’s core defenders like Ruben Dias, John Stones, and Nathan Ake.

McGrath writes, 'Khusanov fits the bill for City as a player who could compete for a first-team place, but also has huge potential for the future.

'He was signed for €100,000 and has attracted scouts from Europe’s top teams after playing regularly this season for Will Still.'

It's believed the 20-year-old could be available for around £25m and despite previous suggestions that the player is keen on a move to St James' Park, Guardiola's City may be tough to turn down.

 An appealing deal in the world of PSR?

Khusanov’s potential both as a player and valuable PSR asset certainly justifies Newcastle’s interest, as reported by the i’s Mark Douglas at the end of December.

City’s transfer activity may give a small insight into their financial state of play heading into the January window, which may make for more positive reading for Newcastle fans wary about a possible move for Bruno Guimaraes.

With Guardiola aiming to rebuild his squad and eyeing up talent like Bundesliga star Omar Marmoush and former Toon target Ederson from Atalanta, our captain may just be an unviable option for the Champions at this moment in time.

A move for Khusanov could be a master stroke from Paul Mitchell, however. With the club’s recent track record of signing young players and turning them into top players, the Uzbeki would be a fantastic addition to the defence of Botman, Hall, and Livramento for years to come.