Manchester United apparently had an interest in signing Abdukodir Khusanov years before he signed for Manchester City.

It was confirmed earlier this month that Khusanov had completed a £33.5million move to City from Ligue 1 club Lens. The Uzbekistan international is one of three January signings for City, with Vitor Reis and Omar Marmoush completing moves to the Etihad Stadium this month.

United are yet to complete their first signing of the January transfer window but have been linked with several players who could move to Old Trafford. Khusanov has not been directly linked with United this month, but it seems there was interest in previous transfer windows.

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Khusanov's agent, Gairat Khasbiullin, has claimed that a United scout was impressed after watching the defender back in 2023. However, it has been claimed that former United boss Erik ten Hag decided against signing Khusanov before he went on to sign for Lens.

"In May 2023, United scout Nicolas Chenalli was in Argentina for the U20 World Cup," Khasbiullin told Championat. "After Uzbekistan's second match at the tournament, he found my contact and wanted to meet.

"I was also in Argentina at the time, and we thought about meeting in Buenos Aires, but it didn't work out because of the matches."

"Khusanov has [Man United] DNA," Khasbiullin added when asked what the agent told him about the future City signing. "That was the moment I realized that the guy would end up at a top club."

"The scout gave a very detailed report, but coach [Erik] ten Hag said that the defender was not quite ready to help the team at that time," Khasbiullin concluded.

"We recently corresponded with that Manchester United scout. He congratulated him on the transfer to City, but regretted that the player did not end up at United."