Aston Villa are close to reaching an agreement to sign Parma goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, having now entered advanced talks.
Villa are searching for a new goalkeeper, as Emiliano Martinez continues to attract interest from elsewhere, and Suzuki has emerged as a target, after a move to reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain broke down earlier this week.
The Parma shot-stopper is now in line for a move to Villa Park, after putting in some impressive performances in the Serie A last season, with an average of 3.3 saves per 90 ranking him joint-third in the league.
|
Ranking |
Player |
Club |
Serie A saves per 90 |
|
1. |
Emil Audero |
Cremonese |
3.7 |
|
1. |
Arijanet Muric |
Sassuolo |
3.7 |
|
3. |
David de Gea |
Fiorentina |
3.3 |
|
3. |
Ivan Provedel |
Lazio |
3.3 |
|
3. |
Adrian Semper |
Pisa |
3.3 |
|
3. |
Zion Suzuki |
Parma |
3.3 |
Over the course of the campaign, the 23-year-old made 66 saves, and kept five clean sheets in 20 appearances. Moreover, he has established himself as the first-choice goalkeeper for Japan, starting all four of their games at the World Cup.
The Japan international has really kicked on since signing for the Italian side, after being tipped for success in the Serie A by Como scout Ben Mattinson not long after his arrival.
Aston Villa advancing to sign Zion Suzuki
Journalist Ben Jacobs has revealed Aston Villa are now close to reaching an agreement to sign Suzuki, and they have entered advanced talks.
That followed an update from Fabrizio Romano, which stated the Villans have now made a formal approach to sign the Japan star, and they are ready to match PSG’s proposal of €35m (£30m).
Update on Emiliano Martinez’s Aston Villa future
Should Aston Villa get a deal for Suzuki over the line, they may need to create space in the squad by offloading Martinez, and Romano has revealed Juventus have entered discussions regarding a deal for the Argentinian.
However, talks are not advanced, and the Villa star isn’t the only goalkeeper the Italian side are considering, which indicates a deal could be some way off being agreed.
The 33-year-old is said to have suffered “physical issues” at the World Cup, which may be a concern for Juve and Unai Emery’s side alike, and his age means it may be the right time for Villa to bring in a replacement.
Suzuki, on the other hand, is just 23-years-old, which suggests he could be Villa’s first-choice option between the sticks for more than a decade to come.
