There is ‘wind in the wings’ of the reported Leeds United target, and that gust looks set to carry him across the Channel from France to England.
Though even the most optimistic Elland Road matchgoer will not be surprised to learn that the Championship will not be his destination.
Leeds reportedly made a £16 million bid for Abdukodir Khusanov recently. A bid neither Lens, nor the player himself, would have been rushing to accept.
The perennial Ligue 1 overachievers knew that they could make a lot more if they stuck firm on Khusanov’s valuation, while interest from Real Madrid, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City meant it always felt unlikely he would rush to end up in West Yorkshire even if there is a vey real chance that Premier League football will return to Leeds United in a few months’ time.
At the start of the window, reports indicated that Khusanov could be on the move for around £25 million.
So when Man City put £42 million on Lens’ table, the team who finished seventh in France’s top flight last season would have been forgiven for performing a double take so violent it would risk whiplash.
Leeds United target Abdukodir Khusanov heading to Manchester City
Will Still, Lens’ highly-rated head coach, opened up on the Khusanov situation during his Friday press conference. And, at this stage, the former Stade Reims boss knows that it is pointless trying to keep one of European football’s worst kept secrets under wraps.
“We are not going to lie to each other,” Still said. “We know that negotiations are underway and that things are moving [with Manchester City]. There is wind in Kodir’s wings. We are not fooled.
“But he is still here, he is a Lens player. If things move, you will surely know before me. With social networks, the big journalists know everything before everyone else!”
Lens have already lost star goalkeeper Brice Samba, formerly of Nottingham Forest, to Rennes this month.
And while the northern-based outfit are used to selling their prized assets – see Raphael Varane, Seko Fofana, Cheick Doucoure, Lois Openda and more – Still admits that he did not expect to see arguably his two most high-profile performers say their goodbyes within the space of a few days.
“I knew that we were going to lose important players. I didn’t know Brice (would leave for Rennes) and now Kodir,” adds Still, formerly a youth coach at Leeds’ Championship rivals Preston North End.
“But I knew that we would have to fill the gaps. That’s what will happen.”
Leeds still eyeing centre-backs including Nico Elvedi
According to data collated by the CIES Football Observatory, Abdukodir Khusanov is the finest defender in Europe’s major leagues under the age of 21, ranking higher than the likes of Barcelona wonderkid Pau Cubarsi and £52 million Manchester United starlet Leny Yoro.
Leeds do, at least, have a few alternative targets in mind, intelligently deciding against placing all their begs in the Khusanov basket.
Leeds are reportedly keen on Rennes’ Christopher Wooh, another young France-based centre-half. Daniel Farke could reunite with Nico Elvedi too, his Borussia Monchengladbach contract expires in the summer, while Nottingham Forest are willing to let Andrew Omobamidele potentially join his former Norwich City boss at Elland Road.
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