Will the Japanese national team's goalkeeper move to the Premier League become a reality?
'Court Offside' reported on the 8th that West Ham is showing interest in Japanese national team player Zai On Suzuki (23, Parma), who is affiliated with Serie A Parma. Negotiations for the transfer have already begun. The transfer fee is €20 million (approximately 32.1 billion won), so there are no major obstacles to the transfer.
Suzuki is a mixed-race player born to a Ghanaian-American father and a Japanese mother. Growing up in the Urawa Reds youth system, he made his debut with Urawa in 2021. After a loan to Sint-Truidense in Belgium for the 2023-24 season, he joined Parma in Italy in 2024.
'Court Offside' added, "West Ham is looking to acquire Suzuki as the goalkeeper Alphonse Areola is in an unstable condition. The young goalkeeper Suzuki is attractive to West Ham. They plan to develop him into a future star."
There have been two Tongyang goalkeepers who played in the Premier League historically. Ali Al Habsi from Oman, who joined Bolton in 2006 and played 111 games, and Neil Etheridge from the Philippines, who played for Cardiff City in 2018. If Suzuki joins West Ham, it will be the first time a Japanese goalkeeper enters the Premier League.
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