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Manchester United need to spend carefully under Ruben Amorim after splashing over £600million during Erik ten Hag’s tenure.
The current squad has several players who don’t fit Amorim’s system and need to be moved on to fund smart recruitment.
United’s rebuild must focus on acquiring talent capable of thriving under the Portuguese tactician’s philosophy.
One player United targeted in the past but missed out on is Uzbekistan defender Abdukodir Khusanov.
The 20-year-old has joined rivals Manchester City on a four-and-a-half-year deal worth £33.6million.
Khusanov, who becomes the Premier League’s first-ever Uzbek footballer, impressed during his 16 appearances for Lens this season.
United first scouted the centre-back during the U20 World Cup in 2023 when he was representing Uzbekistan.
According to the player’s agent, Gairat Khasbiullin, Erik ten Hag blocked the deal, believing Khusanov was ‘not quite ready’.
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Speaking to Championat, Khasbiullin revealed, “Manchester United [was the first to show interest].
“In May 2023, United scout Nicolas Chenalli was in Argentina for the U20 World Cup.”
“After the second match of Uzbekistan at the tournament, he found my contact and wanted to meet.”
The agent shared a humorous story about meeting Chenalli, adding, “I just went out onto the street in Buenos Aires and caught a taxi to Rosario.
“The driver turned out to be a River Plate fan. All the way we tried to communicate about football through a translator.”
“When a Manchester United scout came up and gave him his business card, the driver went nuts: ‘Who are you anyway?’”
Khasbiullin recalled how highly United rated Khusanov, saying, “The scout made a detailed report.
“But coach Ten Hag said that the defender was not quite ready to help the team at that time.”
Despite the missed opportunity, the agent reflected on the outcome, stating, “Recently we corresponded with that Manchester United scout.
“He congratulated us on the move to Man City but regretted that the player did not end up at Man United.”
United’s decision to pass on Khusanov highlights the fine margins in recruitment, as rivals City secure another promising talent.
Amorim will need to ensure United avoid similar misses in the future as they work to rebuild effectively.
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Source: Centred Devils
