Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United are reportedly set to rival one another for the signature of Lens centre-back Abdukodir Khusanov.
Both Spurs and the Magpies, who currently sit seventh and 11th respectively in the Premier League table, have been tipped to delve into the January transfer market to bolster their defensive options.
Ange Postecoglou entered the 2024-25 season with only three natural centre-backs in his Tottenham squad, and two of those - Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero - are currently sidelined with injuries, forcing left-back Ben Davies to play centrally alongside Radu Dragusin.
Newcastle, meanwhile, have been coping without the presence of Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles for several months as they continue to recover from ACL injuries, while Emil Krafth is out until the New Year with a shoulder problem.
Eddie Howe has therefore relied on Fabian Schar and Dan Burn to link arms at the heart of defence, with summer signing Lloyd Kelly providing cover.
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Spurs, Newcastle considering January move for Khusanov?
According to The Telegraph, Tottenham and Newcastle are chasing Lens centre-back Khusanov and they are both set to battle for the 20-year-old's services ahead of the next transfer window.
The report adds that Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain have also been linked with Khusanov, but it is understood that as many as seven Premier League clubs are interested in the Uzbekistan international.
While Spurs are said to be weighing up whether they need to recruit a new centre-back in January, it is claimed that Newcastle have watched Khusanov and view him as a promising young talent who could make the step up to the Premier League.
Lens could allegedly fetch more than £25m for Khusanov in the current market, and his value is poised to increase as he continues to excel under the tutelage of Belgian-born English coach Will Still.
Les Sang et Or have recently made significant profit on talent that they have nurtured, with €46m generated from the sale of Lois Openda to RB Leipzig in July 2023 and €30m received from the sale of Elye Wahi to Marseille last summer.
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Who is Abdukodir Khusanov?
Born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Khusanov began his career with boyhood club Bunyodkor before moving to Belarusian side Energetik-BGU, where he made 35 senior appearance during the 2022-23 season.
The defender was then snaped up by Lens for just €100,000 (£83,000) in the summer of 2023 and initially had to settle for a peripheral role with the French club in his debut campaign, making 11 Ligue 1 appearances and two each in the Champions League and Europa League.
However, Khusanov has been one of the breakout stars of Ligue 1 this term and has benefitted from the summer appointment of Still, having cemented himself as a key player in the heart of the Lens defence.
The 16-cap Uzbekistan international has already played 11 times in Ligue 1 this season, helping Lens keep six clean sheets and climb to seventh in the table.
Oliver Thomas
