Roland Cutinho
Manchester United set to sign talented J-league goalkeeper Zion Suzuki for a record fee
According to Japanese outlet Sponichi (h/t the Metro), Manchester United are nearing the completion of a deal to sign talented young goalkeeper Zion Suzuki.
The club sees Suzuki as a potential replacement for veteran star David de Gea. The move suggests that the Red Devils are actively seeking to strengthen their goalkeeping options, as De Gea’s future at Old Trafford is uncertain at the moment.
Meanwhile, Inter Milan’s Andre Onana is believed to be United’s primary transfer target for the goalkeeper position. However, there is a significant valuation gap of around €20 million between United and the Nerazzurri.
Negotiations between the two clubs have yet to reach an agreement on the player’s price. The disparity in valuation may pose a challenge in finalising the transfer, even if Onana is ready to move.
The Red Devils have submitted a verbal bid worth £38.6m for the Cameroonian keeper. But it still doesn’t match Inter’s £51m price tag for the goalkeeper.
United will have to offload players to finance the potential deal for Onana, as their transfer budget have been limited due to a lack of equity investment from the Glazer family in the past three years.
Moreover, a portion of that budget (£55m) have already been used for signing Chelsea’s Mason Mount. As a result, the club sees Urawa Red Diamonds’ Zion Suzuki as a more cost-effective alternative, given its significantly lower price tag.
United are considering a cheaper option in their quest to bolster their goalkeeper options. Even if they are serious about signing Onana, they could still grab the J-league talent for a fee of just £5m.
Suzuki is a regular player for Japan’s youth international teams. He recently made his debut for the senior national team in the EAFF E-1 Football Championship against Hong Kong last July.
Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, to a Ghanaian mother and Japanese father, Suzuki could represent any of the three national teams due to his heritage.
He has been associated with the Urawa Red Diamonds since the age of 11 and has progressed through their various youth ranks before finally debuting in 2021.
Although he currently serves as the backup to Shusaku Nishikawa at Urawa, United seems poised to offer Suzuki the opportunity to showcase his skills at the highest level.
In the previous season, it would have been challenging to sign a player like Suzuki due to post-Brexit regulations. This ruling barred clubs from registering overseas players who did not meet a specific points threshold established by the Governing Body Endorsement (GBE).
However, there has been a recent relaxation of these rules, starting this summer. Premier League clubs are now permitted to recruit up to four players who do not meet the GBE criteria.
This change allows greater flexibility for clubs like Man United to pursue and sign players like Suzuki who may not have qualified under the previous regulations.
The youth goalkeeper could also be a record sale for the J-League if he makes a move. The current record sale by a J-league team to a foreign club is being held by Celtic, who paid £4.5m to sign league top scorer Kyogo Furuhashi two years ago.
Keeping records apart, the Japanese talent’s physicality and quickness on the ball could be a valuable asset for the future. Although he may not start as a regular player, he will still get the chance to learn from the best players at the club and cement his place in the squad.
If United gets Onana, then Suzuki could also be signed as a backup option to provide cover. Recently, Premier League teams have shown a keen interest in Asian players.
Last season, Brighton & Hove Albion signed Kawasaki Fontale’s Karou Mitoma, and the attacker went on to become a key player in Roberto De Zerbi’s quest to qualify for European competition.
Sir Alex Ferguson followed a similar route in 2005 when the manager signed South Korean midfielder Park Ji-sung. The player went on to become one of the most important members of the title-winning team.
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Man United fans will be happy to see the club take the goalkeeping position seriously after staying silent for so many years. We believe that Suzuki could prove to be another gem of a player under the guidance of Ten Hag.
