Could Japanese football produce the first-ever Premier League goalkeeper in history? There are claims that Zion Suzuki (23, Parma) will be guarding the goal for Manchester United in five years.
'Football Channel' noted on the 11th (Korea time), "Will Suzuki be the guardian of Manchester United in five years? British media predicted boldly that by then, he could be one of the world's top-level goalkeepers."
The media reported, "The 22-year-old goalkeeper for the Japanese national team, Suzuki, who plays for Serie A's Parma, may soon become a player active at a big club. British media 'Manchester World' projected him as one of the starting members for Manchester United's best 11 in five years."
Born in 2002, Suzuki is a mixed-race goalkeeper with an African American father and a Japanese mother. He boasts impressive height, over 190cm, and has excellent foot skills. Not only does he actively participate in the back build-up, but his long kicks, delivered forward, are also accurate, making him fit for modern football.
Having grown up in the Urawa Red youth team, Suzuki stepped onto the European stage through a loan to Sint-Truiden in Belgium in 2023. A year later, he donned the Parma uniform and entered Italy's Serie A, one of Europe's top five leagues, solidifying his starting position immediately upon transfer.
Suzuki showcased impressive performances last season, earning the Parma Player of the Month award twice – in December last year and February this year, establishing himself as a core resource. Until the last year's AFC Asian Cup, he was known for frequent mistakes, earning the nickname 'butterfingers', but he appears to have improved his previously criticized ball-handling abilities through experience.
The final statistics for the 2024-2025 season saw him play 37 games in Serie A, conceding 53 goals, with 7 clean sheets recorded. While Parma struggled in the lower ranks in a fierce survival battle, Suzuki received high praise for keeping strong teams such as Juventus and Napoli scoreless.
'Football Channel' expressed hope, stating, "Suzuki has attracted Manchester United's interest in the past. However, with the North and Central America World Cup in 2026 coming up, he is likely to remain with Parma this summer. The World Cup may serve as an opportunity for him to make a significant leap next summer."
In fact, Manchester United sought to acquire Suzuki in 2023, having identified him while searching for a successor to David De Gea. However, Suzuki wanted a team where he could secure playing time ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, and after careful consideration, he declined Manchester United's offer.
Following that, Manchester United brought in Andre Onana from Inter Milan. However, Onana disappointed fans by making consecutive critical mistakes. Consequently, recent local reports have indicated that Manchester United may once again attempt to sign Suzuki.
If Suzuki continues to perform as a starter at Parma, it's not entirely impossible for him to achieve this feat. He is currently the only Asian goalkeeper playing in one of Europe's top four leagues. If he were to don a Manchester United uniform, he would make history as the first Asian goalkeeper in that position.
'Football Channel' expressed excitement, asking, "Will Suzuki become a member who builds a new era for Manchester United in the future?" Japanese fans commented, "If Manchester United doesn't handle things carefully, they could face relegation. I hope he can get playing opportunities and transfer to a proper club," "He will succeed, but Manchester United is not the right place for a goalkeeper. It doesn't seem like they will be rebuilt in five years," and "I believe he can make a realistic choice."
Meanwhile, the team interested in Suzuki is not only Manchester United. According to Japanese media 'Soccer Digest', Premier League clubs West Ham United and Chelsea, Turkey's Galatasaray, Serie A's Napoli, and Bundesliga's Bayern Munich are showing interest in him.
British 'Cutter Offside' claims that West Ham is the most proactive among them. The transfer fee is estimated to be around €20 million (approximately 32.1 billion won). However, according to local media in Parma, the club wishes to continue its partnership with Suzuki for at least one more year, indicating they won't easily let him go this summer.
[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited), Parma social media.
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