Aymen Hussein nears Pakhtakor transfer after opting for move abroad

Iraq captain Aymen Hussein is close to joining Uzbekistani club Pakhtakor after the two sides reached final understandings over a move during the current summer transfer window.

Hussein is expected to travel to the Uzbek capital Tashkent on Saturday to undergo a mandatory medical examination before signing the official transfer documents that will formalise his arrival at the established club.

The proposed move would give the 2025-26 season’s Al-Karma striker a new opportunity outside Iraq, having decided to continue his professional career abroad rather than remain in the domestic competition.

Hussein completed his campaign with Al-Karma before choosing to pursue another overseas experience. The forward had attracted interest from several Iraqi clubs, including Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya and Erbil, as well as other teams competing in the Iraqi Premier League.

However, despite the approaches available to him at home, Hussein rejected them in favour of a move to Central Asia. His decision leaves him on the brink of becoming the latest Iraqi player to represent Pakhtakor.

If the transfer is completed, Hussein will be the third Iraqi footballer to have played for the Uzbek club, following Bashar Resan and Zaid Tahseen. Both players have previously worn Pakhtakor’s colours.

The switch is viewed as an important opportunity for Hussein to test himself in a different competitive environment and to contribute to Pakhtakor’s ambitions in domestic and continental football during the coming season.

The move remains subject to the medical and the signing of the final paperwork, but the two parties have already reached the necessary understandings for the transfer to progress. Hussein’s expected arrival in Tashkent on Saturday represents the next step in completing the deal.

For the Iraq international, the proposed transfer marks a further stage in a career that has now taken him away from the domestic league and towards a new challenge in Asia. Pakhtakor, meanwhile, would add an experienced Iraqi forward as it prepares for the demands of the next campaign on both the local and continental fronts.

Hussein’s choice also brings an end to the recent speculation over his next destination. With interest from Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, Erbil and other Iraqi Premier League clubs, he ultimately decided that the chance to continue his career overseas was the preferred option.

The final outcome will depend on the results of the medical examination and the completion of the formal signing, but Hussein is now only a few steps away from wearing Pakhtakor’s shirt.