Manchester City have agreed with Lens to buy central defender Abdukodir Khusanov for €40 million (£33.6 million).
Sources with knowledge of the deal say there is an additional premium attached to the sale and the player must undergo a medical examination before the transfer is officially confirmed.
City manager Pep Guardiola was determined to strengthen his squad after a difficult few months which saw the defending Premier League champions drop to sixth in the table, 12 points behind leaders Liverpool.
The club is also in negotiations with Brazilian side Palmeiras to purchase teenage defender Vitor Reis, although the club’s president was quoted as saying that reports that they wanted to cash in on the 18-year-old were “untrue”.
Additionally, City are interested in Egyptian striker Omar Marmoush following the 25-year-old’s impressive performances for Eintracht Frankfurt this season.
Khusanov will become the first player from Uzbekistan to join a Premier League club after completing his move. He will also be City’s first significant signing in January since the arrival of Aymeric Laporte in 2018.
It underlines Guardiola’s determination to turn City’s fortunes around and address the chronic injury that left him without any further defenders in the first half of the season.
Ruben Dias has not featured in a game since the derby defeat to Manchester United on December 15 and was ruled out of Saturday’s FA Cup third round match against League Two side Salford City.
Englishman John Stones will also not appear in the match, and Nathan Ake has already been ruled out for long periods twice this season due to injury.
Lens paid just €100,000 for Khusanov from Belarusian club Energetik-BGU 18 months ago.
However, he developed quickly and this season he made 13 appearances in Ligue 1 and 18 appearances for the Uzbekistan national team.
Khusanov scored his first goal for the club in his last appearance, a French Cup match against Paris St-Germain on 22 December.
Good news was also delivered to the city Oscar Bobb’s return to training after The 21-year-old Norwegian has a five-month absence due to a broken leg.
