Manchester City and rebuild are two words that have followed each other with regularity in recent weeks.

Pep Guardiola's side have returned to winning ways in recent weeks but remain down in sixth in the Premier League table and have a fight to ensure they are part of the play-off round in the Champions League come February. A host of injuries has derailed the Blues while loss of form for key individuals has also hampered their season.

An ageing squad needs fresh impetus and a move for Lens centre back Abdukodir Khusanov could be the first move made with the Manchester Evening News reporting that City are ready to accelerate plans to move for the 20-year-old who has been on their radar for more than 12 months.

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In an ideal world City would like to bed Khusanov in should they secure his services but needs must and the Uzbekistan international would likely slot into the senior squad given the injury issues at the back.

Any deal is a low risk move for City given the potential Khusanov possesses after an outstanding campaign for the meanest defence in France. He is capable on the ball and a towering presence in the backline. Lens often play three at the back with Khusanov in the centre of the three but the right footed player has also performed comfortably in a two.

His role at Lens, under Englishman Will Still, is to be the defensive rock while the wide centre halves are given freedom to support and cover further forward. He's a tenacious tackler who reads the game well while his size and strength are other attributes. His pace could be exposed in a high line but positionally he has the intelligence to combat that weakness.

A fee of around £20million for one of the most highly-rated defenders in Europe is a snip for City with the likelihood of a profit should he be moved on down the line. It would represent the first step in a City rebuild but it can only be step one.

The Blues welcome a new director of football in Hugo Viana at the end of the season - although he will carry out some duties from February - and how the former Sporting supremo approaches the summer window and beyond will shape the short-term future of City.

Guardiola has regularly been able to slot in new players to replace departing legends but the past 18 months has seen a few blots on the copybook with Matheus Nunes yet to justify his £50million+ fee while Kalvin Phillips arrived as a ready made Rodri alternative but is now on loan at Ipswich.

Khusanov would provide young ambition and potential in a backline where John Stones will soon be 31 and has struggled with injuries while Nathan Ake is 30 next month. Both still have plenty to offer this City side but a move for Khusanov would represent a succession plan.

Guardiola has admitted he needs a bigger squad and new signings to cope with the demands of the modern day football calendar. Khusanov would be a welcome addition, but it must be the start of several signings over the coming months.