Do Manchester City already have a solution for their right-back issue? | OneFootball

Perhaps the only hole in the Manchester City squad for next season that exists currently is at right-back. Looking at Pep Guardiola’s squad shows that Matheus Nunes and Rico Lewis are likely the two players who will battle it out to be City’s first-choice right-back. It does seem that City could benefit from signing a quality right-back to round out the Manchester City squad for next season.

But looking at the City squad as it is currently made up: Do Manchester City already have a player who could slot in at right-back? Potentially they do. Abdukodir Khusanov has all of the attributes needed to slot in and provide a different option in the role. Perhaps that is a move that Pep Guardiola could explore next season.

Is Abdukodir Khusanov a viable option as a right-back for Manchester City?

It is well established what Matheus Nunes and Rico Lewis offer at right-back. Nunes provides width to Manchester City’s attacking play with his overlapping runs and pace. He has also improved as a player and his delivery into the final third is a weapon. Defensively, his effort cannot be questioned although he is prone to the odd mistake. Rico Lewis tends to invert into midfield from right-back where his tremendous technical ability helps Pep Guardiola’s side control games. Defensively, he can be caught out when Manchester City lose possession due to his positioning on the pitch. When looking at Abdukodir Khusanov as a player he could offer a strong defensive option at right-back.

Abdukodir Khusanov is blessed with tremendous pace. The Uzbekistan international is also extremely strong in a challenge and does read the game well. Those attributes do look to be suited to playing at right-back. In possession, Khusanov tends to play it safe. So by playing him at right-back Manchester City would lose the overlapping runs that Matheus Nunes provides. Khusanov couldn’t invert into midfield like Rico Lewis either. That isn’t his skillset. But if Manchester City needed a strong defender at right-back perhaps Pep Guardiola could use Khusanov in the role next season. That would be dependent on whether City sign a right-back or not this summer.

Summary.

With Manchester City out of the running to sign Tino Livramento, as per a report from Tyrone Marshall for Manchester Evening News, perhaps Pep Guardiola will turn to the players in his squad to cover the right-back role. It is well established that Matheus Nunes and Rico Lewis are two players to slot into the position. But perhaps Abdukodir Khusanov could also be an alternative. He does have the physical and technical attributes to play the position. If City don’t sign a right-back this summer perhaps that is the position that Khusanov can get more minutes playing next season to help his team.