Abdukodir Khusanov endured a difficult start at Manchester City following a £33.8m move from RC Lens in January.
The Uzbekistan international picked up a yellow card and made a mistake for Noni Madueke to score just minutes into his debut for Manchester City back in January, although Pep Guardiola did see his side battle back to win 3-1 against Chelsea.
Abdukodir Khusanov then made just five more Premier League appearances before he was left out of the final four matchday squads, casting doubt over whether he will continue to be viewed as a potential starter.
Just one appearance out of a possible four at the FIFA Club World Cup did little to change this doubt, but Jordan Campbell of The Athletic has now suggested there could be hope for the 21-year-old in a different position.
Abdukodir Khusanov tipped to potentially play at right-back
Khusanov – who Real Madrid wanted – made 21 appearances as a central defender last season for RC Lens and Manchester City.
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However, Guardiola also used him at right-back on two occasions, the 3-1 loss to Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League and the 6-0 win over Al-Ain at the FIFA Club World Cup.
Campbell now feels the Manchester City No.45 could play there more often in the 2025/26 campaign, with Hugo Viana yet to sign a new right-back.
When asked who he thinks could step up to solve the issues of last season, the reliable journalist focused mainly on Tijjani Reijnders and touched upon Khusanov, saying: “I think Reijnders is the biggest difference-maker personally. The midfield lacked legs last season and that was fundamental in their struggles to defend against counter attacks.
“I wouldn’t rule out Khusanov at right-back helping too, as he is rapid and looks suited to the 1v1 defending required in the Premier League nowadays.”
Abdukodir Khusanov has shown promise for Manchester City at right-back and can fill the gap for Pep Guardiola
As aforesaid, Khusanov actually played at right-back up against Real Madrid of all clubs, effectively being thrown in the deep end by Guardiola just weeks into his time at Manchester City.
However, despite facing Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe at various stages down the left flank, the man born in Tashkent did enough to show that right-back could be a long-term position for him.
Khusanov – who has also shone against Alexander Isak – made three clearances, one tackle, one block and one key pass in this UEFA Champions League clash, also completing one successful dribble and 93% of his passes.
Furthermore, the youngster managed to prevent Vinicius Junior from scoring or assisting, ensuring the Brazil international lost possession 12 times, completed only 50% of his attempted dribbles while also failing to deliver a cross.
Matheus Nunes did well covering at right-back last season, but Khusanov has shown plenty of promise in this area too in his limited opportunities under Guardiola.