Agent reveals Newcastle United held concrete talks for Man City star

Abdukodir Khusanov’s agent has revealed Newcastle United held concrete talks to sign the defender before he joined Manchester City.

The Uzbekistan international moved from RC Lens to City in January 2025 after attracting interest from several major European clubs.

Newcastle were among his strongest suitors, and agent Gairat Khasbiullin says the Magpies made a serious attempt to complete the transfer.

In an interview with Sport-Express, Khasbiullin was asked about reported interest from Newcastle, Tottenham, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain.

The agent confirmed Newcastle’s pursuit was the most advanced.

“Newcastle. The others may have shown interest, just like many other teams. It never got to the point of concrete talks,” he said.

“But we established a great rapport with the Magpies. I have great respect for their management, and they were the first to congratulate us on Khusanov’s move to City.”

The comments show Newcastle were more than simply monitoring the defender before Manchester City won the race.

Despite missing out on Khusanov, Newcastle have remained in regular contact with his representative.

Khasbiullin explained that he still has a warm relationship with the club and hopes an Uzbekistan international could eventually move to St James’ Park.

“We maintain a warm relationship with them. I think that someday a player from Uzbekistan will end up at Newcastle,” he said.

The agent also revealed he regularly meets Newcastle officials when travelling to England and has been invited to attend matches at St James’ Park.

That relationship could prove useful in future transfer windows, even if a move for Khusanov himself appears unlikely for now.

Khusanov has since established himself at Manchester City and helped the club win the EFL Cup and FA Cup last season.

That makes a transfer away from the Etihad difficult to imagine at present. However, Newcastle’s previous determination to sign him and their strong relationship with his agent are notable.

At 22, the centre-back still has significant room to develop and has already shown he can compete at the highest level.

For Newcastle, the more immediate benefit may be their connection with Khasbiullin as they continue searching international markets for emerging talent.

Khusanov appears settled at Manchester City, making an immediate Newcastle move unlikely.

However, the Magpies’ close relationship with his agent could create future transfer opportunities. Newcastle clearly made a strong impression during the negotiations, despite ultimately losing the race for the defender.

Could Newcastle’s strong relationship with Khusanov’s agent eventually lead to a major signing?