RC Lens is preparing to conclude the biggest transaction in its history with the sale of Kodir Khusanov to Manchester City for €50 million. At the origin of the arrival of the Uzbek in Artois, Baptiste Favier was quite optimistic about the chances of success of the phenomenon in the Premier League.
After losing his captain Brice SambaRC Lens is about to say goodbye to its phenomenon Kodir Khusanov. Recruited for €100,000, the Uzbek will be sold for €50M to Manchester Citythus facing the biggest sale in the history of the artesian club. Baptiste Favierthe former recruiter of RC Lens who spotted Khusanovmentioned this future transfer.
“We didn’t have anyone with this profile”
« At the time, we were looking for a young center to support Kevin Danso and replace him in the medium term. We didn't have anyone of this profile internally, with such qualities in depth, aerial ease, intelligence, leadership on the back line. So, we dug into the file. His profile was reworked by the other scouts (Valentin Michalski, Jonathan Martins Pereira, Yann Soloy) in other contexts: his matches with Energetik Minsk, his U20 Asian Cup and the A selections obtained in the meantime. They validated as did the technical coordinator Samir Chamma and the technical director Grégory Thil. This success crowns the work of a unit which worked together for three years, with great agility. This made it possible to complete a file complicated by the country of departure, an embargo, the language barrier but also the few European clubs interested… », confides Baptiste Favier in the newspaper The Team. The former Lensois recruit then looked ahead to the future of Khusanov has Manchester City which he announces radiantly.
“He will get there”
« It’s especially great for him to reach such a level, so quickly. From his first week of training, from his first minutes against Torino or Wolfsburg in a friendly, we knew he was very strong. But this is going really fast! There, he will surely have depth management to manage, a position today assigned to a departing Kyle Walker. Kodir has significant room for improvement in certain areas, such as defending the area (marking), managing centers. At City, it will be the ideal context to work on all this, especially alongside Ruben Dias. But he's a great kid, humble and hardworking. He will get there », added Baptiste Faviervery optimistic about Kodir Khusanov.
