Manchester City have revealed their first two signings of the January transfer window but most fans will be unfamiliar with the names Khusanov and Reis, so who are they and why is the club so excited about the new defensive duo?
While Man City still have a couple of other deals in the pipeline (at least one of which looks to be close to completion) the acquisition of centre-backs Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis is important for two main reasons.
For starters, Pep Guardiola has been looking to bolster his defensive ranks for a while now given recurring injuries and the imminent departure of Kyle Walker. Secondly, it’s always a big win to have beaten the competition in the race to sign two prospects who have been on the radar of several clubs.
Perhaps it’s best to first start with Khusanov and why his arrival not just at the Etihad but in England is significant, as Khusanov is the first Uzbekistan to ever represent Manchester City and play in the Premier League full stop. Historic.
Speaking in his first interview as a Blue, Khusanov declared: “This is not just for me but for Uzbekistan. The first Uzbek in the Premier League but I’m sure this is only the beginning. More Uzbek players will come and play here.
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“There’s growing interest in football in Uzbekistan. For this reason, everybody there wants to qualify for the World Cup, we are just one stop away from qualifying.”
Born in February 2004, he’s already enjoyed 18 caps for his national team and is backed to be one of the future stars within a new generation looking to put their country on the footballing map.
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A scout’s dream
Joining from RC Lens on a £33.6 million deal plus add-ons until 2029, the Uzbek centre-back was only picked by the Ligue 1 club relatively recently, having made the switch from Belarusian team Energetik-BGU for just £84,000 a little over 18 months ago.
Fast forward to Monday, 21 January and he has now found himself in the most competitive league in the world and that’s no accident: Khusanov has already impressed the European scene with his natural strength, aerial presence, pace, ball control and timed tackling, just to name a few standout traits.
It didn’t take long for his exploits at Lens to be noticed by scouts, with the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United said to have been two of his earliest suitors; Man City and Leicester followed soon after along with other names from around the continent such as PSG, RB Leipzig and Atlético Madrid.
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Having made 16 club appearances this season and scored his first goal in the French Cup against PSG – one which nearly saw them advance to the next were it not for penalties – he was bound to be snapped up by someone but CFG made sure they were first. But what about his fellow new arrival?
As for fellow youngster Vitor Reis, he’s another promising centre-half prospect signed from Brazilian club Palmeiras for a reported fixed fee of £29.4m.
The 19-year-old arrives in the Premier League from his boyhood club which he’s been at since the age of 11, having recently broken into the first team and making 22 senior appearances across all competitions. He only made his debut back in June 2024.
Donning the 22 shirt, he is already drawing early comparisons with new teammate Rúben Dias at his age which will be music to era City supporters’ ears given how crucial the now 27-year-old deputy has been to their success since 2020.
Hyping the youth product up, the head of Palmeiras’ academy, Joao Paulo Sampaio, said: “Technique, speed, courage, you name it. Tactically, he’s a leader and understands the game like few others. And his mental strength is a joke. The kid is complete.”
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Big words indeed.
As for Reis, he highlighted that he’s been a captain since he was little and when City called, there was no doubt. He also went on to insist that he’ll be a good fit for the system, adding: “They like to play with a lot of possession, I also like to play that way […] every kid that loves football is certainly watching Manchester City.”
We think it’s safe to say Blues can be understandably buzzing with the deals done so far.
Judging by what those in the know are saying about these two players, it looks like both Khusanov and Reis have everything you want in a defender on paper, at least. How they take to life at the Etihad and to the English game, we’ll have to wait and see.
Fabrizio Romano has also reported that a verbal agreement has been reached for another defender in Juma Bah from Real Valladolid, though it is believed he will be loaned to RC Lens following the Khusanov transfer. Regardless of the ongoing FFP and PSR investigations, City aren’t shying away from business.
Featured Images — Supporterhéninois(via Wikimedia Commons)/Manchester City
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Bury FC legend Nicky Adams confirms retirement after more than two decades
Danny Jones
Bury FC is saying goodbye to a veteran of Greater Manchester football as local legend Nicky Adams has announced he will be retiring at the end of the season.
The Bolton-born midfielder has enjoyed a 22-year career, playing for 10 different clubs in that time, most notably Bury, where he began as an academy product and earned his first senior minutes back in 2005.
Having been with the club across four different stints and by far the largest chunk of his playing days, making more than 200 appearances for the North West Counties side, he’s practically part of the furniture at this point.
But the time has finally come, as Adams revealed he will be retiring from professional football at the age of 38 – his longevity being an incredible achievement in itself.
⚪🔵 Nicky Adams has announced his retirement from football.
Adams has had a 22-year football career and will hang up his boots at the end of the season to take up a full-time coaching role.
Confirmed via a club statement on Tuesday, 15 April, the Shakers informed fans that Adams, who returned to his home club back in December, will be able to toast hanging up his boots with a promotion party if they avoid defeat against Burscough.
Adams has represented several other Greater Manchester teams in the past too, playing 85 games for Rochdale and 59 for Oldham Athletic, as well as 88 for Radcliffe FC.
Having scored 14 goals during his time with Bury, as well as serving as club captain, he told the club: “I think it’s perfect timing for me, I’m learning the coaching side of it. I’ve been doing that for the last few years, and I’ve got a big opportunity to go and do that full-time now.
“I came here at 16 years old; I’ve come back a few times now, I’ve played over 200 games for the football club, I don’t need to tell anyone what it means to me.
“I’ve had some unbelievable times here, and I’ll be forever grateful to this football club, which gave me the opportunity to go and be a professional footballer and go on the journey that I’ve been on. I’m forever grateful for that.”
Speaking on his return late last year, it’s plain to see how big an impression Gigg Lane has left on him.
He may be calling time on his playing days, but he’s not going anywhere.
Manager Dave McNabb went on to say: “I’m not really sure how to put into words the impact that Nicky has had on me and this group since he walked back through the door in December.
“His legendary status at this football club is well-known and documented. I had heard a lot of good things about his character and his personality through mutual friends and people within the game, so I knew he was going to be a good lad and have a positive impact in the dressing room.
Even with this knowledge, never did I expect to meet such an honest and caring man with enormous levels of integrity and with such high standards and principles. He’s a leader amongst men. When he talks, people listen. He gets the best out of others.
He is trusted and respected by everyone. He drives positive relationships within the group. He is the glue that holds things together. I’m proud to have brought him back to HIS football club, I’m proud to have played a very small part in his illustrious career but most of all, I’m proud to be able to call him a friend.
Signing off with a sentiment, McNabb added: “Good luck Nicky, you’re a legend.”
Tommy Fury announces return to boxing after his ‘hardest battle’ yet
Danny Jones
Manc boxer Tommy Fury has announced his return to the ring later this year, although he’s still keeping tight-lipped about some of the finer detailsabout his next fight.
Tommy Fury has been stuck on the sidelines for the best part of the last two years following his last boxing match against influencer and musician KSI, having reluctantly stepped away from boxing through injury and well-publicised personal issues outside of the sport.
He ultimately pulled out of his intended comeback against Darren Till ahead of what looked to be an already fraught face-off, and his been quiet on the competitive front ever since – until now.
Revealing a scheduled date for the next fight, the 25-year-old took to social media to confirm that he will be back very soon but is withholding some of the particulars for now.
Writing in the caption, the younger Fury brother said: “Two years out. One surgery. The hardest battle I’ve faced has been the mental battle of being away from boxing. But I’m back stronger, sharper, and more HUNGARY than ever.”
However, the most notable omission is who he will actually be taking on, i.e. one of the main reasons fight fans would be interested in the first place.
Although many have been left frustrated by the infrequency of his fights due to multiple cancellations, it’s clearly a concerted effort to build anticipation ahead of the event.
Sharing the date for his Budapest bout – which is coming much sooner than many would have expected (Friday, 9 May) – he signed off by adding: “It’s showtime. Let’s go!”
Besides the social media post, the local fighter published a lengthy announcement video/teaser trailer on the official Tommy Fury YouTube channel on Monday night, in which he states, “the contract has literally just been signed as we speak”.
You can watch the feature in full down below:
In truth, the majority of the video is about brand deals, but it does show getting some training done.
Hyping up his undefeated record, with 10 wins to his name thus far in his still fairly fledgling boxing career, he goes on to say he is “over the moon” and ready to get back in business.
Only time will tell whether this fight will actually go ahead as his followers have gotten more than used to seeing his matches postponed or cancelled. First and foremost, who do you think his comeback opponent is gong to be?
His name has mostly been in the headlines due to his high-profile relationship with fellow famous face Molly Mae-Hague.
The couple, who first met on Love Island back in 2019, welcomed their first child, Bambi, back in January 2023 but went on to split up last August. A docuseries covering their struggles dropped at the start of this year.
Danny Jones -
21st January 2025 
