Real Madrid eye up £25m-rated Lens centre-back amid Man City links

Reigning La Liga champions Real Madrid have added in-demand Lens centre-back Abdukodir Khusanov to their shortlist for the January transfer window.

Renowned journalist Santi Aouna claims Los Merengues are ready to rival Newcastle United and Manchester City for the teenage defender’s signature.

Premier League calls

Pep Guardiola has identified the 20-year-old as a potential long-term replacement for ageing superstar Kyle Walker.

As such, Man City have joined Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle in the race for the Uzbek starlet, establishing contact with his entourage, Khasbiullin Gairat.

However, the Magpies are reluctant to back off and let the Cityzens sign Khusanov despite recently welcoming Sven Botman back from a long-term injury.

Needless to say, both clubs boast the financial capacity to pull off a deal of this magnitude.

Khusanov, valued at £25 million, could be the protagonist of the January transfer window, especially now that Carlo Ancelotti’s men have entered the mix.

Defensive emergency

It’s no secret that Los Merengues are in the market for defensive reinforcements.

David Alaba and Eder Militao have been out with long-term fitness problems, leaving Ancelotti short of options at the back.

Though Aurelien Tchouameni has fared well as a makeshift centre-back, the Frenchman isn’t a sustainable long-term solution.

Prodigious youngster Raul Asencio has seized the opportunity to launch his senior career at the Santiago Bernabeu.

However, the 21-year-old’s emergence hasn’t deterred Madrid from scouring the market for a new defender.

Trademark signing

Khusanov fits the Spaniards’ new transfer policy of signing up-and-coming talents.

At 20, he’s among Europe’s most heavily appreciated defenders amid a sparkling breakout season at Lens.

One way or another, he’ll depart the Stade Bollaert-Delelis in the coming weeks, potentially to pursue the same career path as Eduardo Camavinga and Tchouameni.

Both French midfielders swapped Ligue 1 for Madrid at a tender age and have since blossomed into elite stars, setting the stage for Khusanov to follow in their footsteps.