Aston Villa have agreed a £29.9m (€35m) deal with Parma to sign Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, according to Sky in Italy. The agreement comes on the same day Juventus submitted an £8.5m (€10m) bid for current Villa No 1 Emiliano Martinez. While the bid is below Villa's valuation for the Argentina international, negotiations are understood to be continuing with the Italian club.
Suzuki has been at the heart of a transfer merry-go-round, having been heavily linked with a move to European champions Paris Saint-Germain; however, the proposed move hit a snag and gave Villa fresh encouragement to move for the Japan World Cup star. Juventus have been very interested in signing Martinez since the start of the window but were also hoping to sign Suzuki on loan from PSG had that deal had gone through. The goalkeeper, who turns 24 this month, joined Parma from Urawa Red Diamonds in 2024 after a loan spell in Belgium and has made 57 Serie A appearances over the past two seasons.
No 1 for his country, he started all four of Japan's matches at this summer's World Cup, where they were knocked out by Brazil in the round of 32. Suzuki was born in Newark, New Jersey, to a Ghanaian father and Japanese mother before growing up in Japan. Lucas Digne - Paris Saint-Germain, £8.5m Louie Barry - Sheffield Wednesday, undisclosed Yeimar Mosquera - Vitoria SC, undisclosed Sil Swinkels - Sheffield Wednesday, undisclosed Play Super 6 for a chance to win £1m!
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